Sando No Jigoku
by Draconic Mage
Summary: When Tsuki and Yumi Makoto move to Domino, they have no idea how much their lives are going to change. What will the workaholic and the socialite encounter as they meet their matches? SKxOC/YMxOC
1. Slow Start

**Author's Info:** Okay, so I've been writing this story at the same time as Destinies of the Divine Descendants (which deals with Priest Seto) and I decided I would publish it. This may go a little slower, since this is actually hand-written while the other is completely typed on my computer. Please be patient with me and tell me what you think. Just because it's one of my infamous summer projects doesn't mean I don't like hearing people's opinions. I like constructive criticism as well, so by all means tell me what you think. Just don't flame. It's not kosher in any way, shape, or form.

**The "whats":** Listening to a bunch of random '90s alternative songs and thinking about how life tends to be one seriously messed up roller coaster ride. I also noticed how "lol" looks insanely similar to a podracer from Star Wars Episode I. Don't ask me why I notice that; I just do.

**Disclaimer:** Much as I wish I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, I don't. Yumi and Tsuki are my only claims at the moment. Maybe more will come, but not yet. Only time will tell.

_Chapter One_

"Tsuki, if you don't hurry up, I'm leaving you behind!" a girl called out from the base of the stairs, annoyed by her sister's ever slow preparations. How they could possibly be sisters, much less twins, was a complete mystery to her. They were almost polar opposites in terms of personality. Often, Tsuki only served as an aggravation to her elder sister. This was no exception.

"I'm coming, Yumi!" she heard her call back just before seeing her run down the stairs, brush in hand. Yumi scowled and waited for her sister to finish. "Ready!"

"About time," Yumi growled. "Any longer and you would have made us late."

"I thought you were going ahead without me," Tsuki said innocently in an attempt to tease her sister. Yumi's scowl deepened and she turned and walked away without another word. She was already tired of her sister's antics, and it was still only early morning.

"I decided to be nice for once, but it won't happen again. There's already going to be a lot of aggravation as is. I don't see why you feel the need to complicate it even further. Let's go, before I really decide to show my aggravation."

Tsuki just smiled to her sister and followed her out the door. She knew her sister was just anxious about that day. It would be their first day at Domino High, and there would likely be a bunch of people who would surround them, asking questions and trying to get various information out of them. Tsuki didn't mind; she actually liked the attention. Yumi, on the other hand, liked to keep to herself, and she was especially annoyed when guys would go up to her and ask her out or tell her she was cute.

"So, what do you think Domino High will be like, Yumi?" Tsuki asked. Yumi sighed and looked at her sister before turning the face ahead of her again.

"I'm sure it will be the same as Tokyo's schools, Tsuki. There will be plenty of guys for you to flirt with and there will be a severe lack of places for me to go and hide when I need to get away from the general chaos and distraction that is my peers."

"Come on, Yumi," whined Tsuki, "surely there will be _someone_ who catches your eye here. Not every guy is shallow and annoying. Live a little. Besides, it's not like you have a job to hide behind anymore. You need to get out and enjoy the town for once. Who knows, you might actually enjoy it."

Yumi sighed. Her sister was really beginning to get on her nerves with all the "get a life and have some fun" speeches she continually touted. She had kept this up almost nonstop since their father announced they were moving from Tokyo to Domino City. She also remembered this was the same sister who had initially been furious about the move. Still, she never would have been able to tell just by seeing her sister as they walked in through the school's front gate.

"Tsuki, just because I don't have a job doesn't mean I don't plan on getting one," she reminded her sister. "Besides, I don't go running off with just anyone who asks either. I'm not you," she said, sneering slightly. Tsuki gave her a mock hurt expression as they made their way inside, but Yumi knew her sister hadn't really been offended. She was too used to her jibes to even care.

"You could stand to be more like me. You _need_ to lighten up," Tsuki said thoughtfully. "Maybe if you did, other people wouldn't think you're cold. Just because I know what you're really like doesn't mean everyone else does."

"Did you ever consider the possibility I might actually like it that way?" Yumi asked seriously. "Tsuki, I know you love being around people, but that's you. I prefer having only a small number of people who know what I'm like. At least I know I can trust them. I can't say the same for some of your so-called friends."

"Okay, so maybe I can be too trusting at times," Tsuki admitted, "but we can't all be icy and calculating like you, Yumi."

They both stood outside the door of their new class and waited for the teacher to call them in. As they waited, they listened to all the students who were talking about the two new transfer students. The sisters smirked to one another as they impatiently listened to all the gossip that surrounded their arrival.

"So, what do you think they'll be like?" Yugi asked Joey excitedly as he sat down at his desk. He had heard the gossip that was going around, but he knew Joey would know even more.

"I've heard they're both really cute," Joey said, grinning widely. "If the rumors are true, I'll just have to use some of my magic on them. They'll be falling for Joey Wheeler in no time."

"They'll be falling, all right," Tea said teasingly, "falling right onto the floor from laughing too hard." Joey glared at her while Yugi and Tristan laughed. They quieted down when they saw the teacher enter along with the two new students and quickly sat down in their seats.

"As all of you seem to already know," the teacher began, "we have two new transfer students entering our class. They are new to Domino and have come here from Tokyo. I hope you will be helpful in showing them around the school."

When the teacher motioned for them to step forward, the sisters stood in front of the class. Tsuki was smiling brightly while Yumi merely looked around disinterestedly. Tsuki knew Yumi was trying to see what kind of students were in the room, but all Tsuki cared about was how many friends she'd make.

"Class, I'd like you to meet Tsuki and Yumi Makoto," the teacher said as she wrote their names on the board behind them. Yugi now knew why everyone had been so excited to meet them. Not only were the two transfer students cute, but they were also twins.

The one named Tsuki had light brown hair that fell down to her lower back and her eyes were the blue of a cloudless sky. She was scanning the room eagerly, and there seemed to be a great deal of hope and excitement in her eyes. Her sister, Yumi, had dark brown hair that stopped a few inches below her shoulders, and her eyes were the blue of the far-off ocean. She had the same facial features and pale skin as her sister, but she was certainly the more beautiful of the two. Still, she did not seem anywhere near as enthused about all the attention they were getting.

"Do the two of you have anything you wish to say to the class before we begin?" the teacher asked.

"Well, Yumi doesn't much care for this sort of thing, but I'd be happy to say a few words," Tsuki said happily, earning a disgruntled look from Yumi. "Hi, I'm Tsuki, and this is my sister, Yumi. We're new here to Domino, as you know, so we really hope you treat us gently. We won't bite, we promise!" she said, giggling as she bowed in greeting.

"Well said," the teacher said with a smile. "Now we'll find seats for the two of you. Tsuki, you can sit next to Yugi Mutou over there. Yumi, you may sit next to Seto Kaiba." As Yumi heard these names her eyes widened. She looked at the person her sister was to sit next to and then glanced at the young man in the desk next to hers before heading over to claim her seat. Just in this arrangement she knew their lives here were going to be interesting.


	2. Engaging Encounters

**Author's Info:** Okay, I'll start out by thanking people. **talkstoangels77:** I know we discussed this already, but I just thought I'd put the answer out there. No, this isn't inspired by _Ten Things I Hate About You_. I like the movie and all, but I haven't seen it in years. It's one of the only few romantic comedies I like. Yumi and Tsuki are what I envision things would be like if I had a twin sister. **azuresilver:** Thanks for the favorite. Seriously means a lot. Hope you like this installment in the lives of the twins.

**The "whats":** Listening to the album _Poem_ by Delerium and thinking about how much of a nerd I am, and how perfectly okay with it I am. I'm also laughing about how much "lol" looks like a podracer from _Star Wars: Episode I_. I don't care if you don't agree, but I think it's hilarious.

**Disclaimer:** I only wish I owned Yu-Gi-Oh. Kazuki Takahashi created the amazing plot and characters. Sure I have the twins, but they wouldn't even be important if I hadn't mentioned Yugi and Kaiba, would they?

_Chapter Two_

When lunch break began, Yumi pulled out her lunch and sighed. She had been so busy translating her manuscripts the night before, she hadn't had time to make her punch for the day, leaving her stuck with whatever her sister had decided to cook. She just hoped that whatever her sister had cravings for was edible. She looked over her shoulder when she heard a noise only to see there was a fair number of students approaching her desk. She tensed, readying herself for the onslaught of students and questions that would inevitably follow.

"You're Yumi, right?" she saw a guy with white hair and brown eyes ask. "My name is Ryou Bakura." She saw him hold out his hand, so she reached out and shook it. "I can show you around the school if you want. I'm a transfer student here as well, so I can somewhat understand how difficult the transition is."

"Thank you, Bakura," she said, grateful he didn't seem to be hitting on her. "I'll be sure to keep your generous offer in mind." With that, it was as if the floodgates were opened. Many people started asking her questions, causing her irritation to rise with every pointless question and attempt at flirting.

"Sorry to interrupt!" she heard Tsuki say. She looked at her gratefully as their attention diverted to her. "I hate to say it, but Yumi isn't very big on large groups of people. She's also not exactly in the right mood for getting into a relationship right now. Too much of a workaholic, I'm afraid. If you could therefore give her some space, I'm sure she'd be more than happy to talk to you at another time. In the meantime, I'd be more than happy to answer any questions," she said, adding to the already large crowd gathered around her desk.

Yumi sighed in relief when most of them left. She noticed a few had stayed, however, and she looked at them in curiosity. Among them was the one named Yugi Mutou, the King of Games himself. "Can I help you?" she asked politely in an attempt to have them leave her be quickly. "I'm afraid I'm not much for small talk. You would be much more likely to pull stories and information out of my sister, and I really don't go out much, so asking me to hang out is rather futile."

"Ah, well," Yugi began, feeling rather shy, "I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm—"

"Yugi Mutou, right?" she asked, smiling when she saw the surprised look on his face and chuckling quietly. "I know all about you, King of Games. I'm rather fond of Duel Monsters, so I naturally saw all your duels in Duelist Kingdom."

Yugi smiled happily when he heard she was interested in Duel Monsters. After all, it was rare a girl would take the game so seriously. "Perhaps you and I can play sometime. My grandfather owns a game shop, so you can always feel free to stop by and try out some of our games."

"A game shop, really?" she asked, feeling herself get excited at the thought. "I do rather enjoy games, and I'm hoping to get a few new ones soon. Tsuki doesn't care for games like I do, and my father only has so much free time he can spend playing games. My time is pretty limited too, but I try to make time, especially if it's a game of strategy. Still, it would be an honor to test my skills at Duel Monsters against the King of Games himself." Yumi heard an irritated noise from behind her, making her turn around. She glanced back to see a highly annoyed Seto Kaiba.

"What about me?" a guy with blond hair and brown eyes asked, distracting her suddenly from her thoughts about the icy-eyed CEO and her amusement at his irritation. She studied him for a moment and nodded before saying, "You're Joey Wheeler. You took second in Duelist Kingdom. Still, you seem more like a street fighter than a strategy gamer. I don't know if you're up for such high-level strategy games. You'd be better off talking to my sister about this kind of stuff."

She heard a chuckle from behind her, making her turn around yet again. She saw it had been Kaiba who had laughed, which surprised her. She had always heard he was a cold-hearted and calculating. She never expected his amusement, although she was sure it was because she was talking about Joey in a way he thought quite funny.

"Watch it, Rich Boy," Joey growled. "One of these days I'm gonna wipe that smug smile of yours right off your face!"

"Joey," she heard Yugi say in an attempt to calm his friend down, "maybe that's not such a good idea. You know Kaiba's been—"

"Kaiba's just sore because he knows he can't beat you, Yug!" Joey said enthusiastically and passionately as he looked at his best friend, his anger getting the better of him. Yumi noticed the way Kaiba's eyes had narrowed at the mention of his defeat at Yugi's hands and sighed. She knew she had better warn Joey before he did something completely foolish.

"Joey, I really don't think this is the fight to pick. Sure, you're a good duelist, but you don't have Kaiba's qualifications. He's a world champion, and he's only ever been defeated by one person in the entire world: Yugi, the King of Games. Besides, you still don't have any coherent strategy to defeat him from what I've seen of your duels. It's just better all around if you pick a fight you stand at least a fair chance of winning."

"What?" Joey said, his anger once again getting the better of him. "I can beat him anytime, anywhere!"

"You should try listening to the girl, Wheeler. She's actually giving you some great advice. Go find some flea-ridden monkey to duel."

"That's it, Kaiba! Now you're really going to—" Joey began, but was cut off. Yugi was grateful Tea and Tristan were more than capable of grabbing him and silencing him.

"You really should be more careful about that attitude, Kaiba. It will get you into a lot of trouble. Joey's not the only one picking fights with an opponent he may not be able to defeat," Yumi said warningly, frowning as she looked at him.

"Yumi would know all about that," Tsuki said, suddenly appearing beside her sister and startling everyone but Kaiba. "She really should learn to take her own advice sometime. Maybe then she wouldn't—"

"If you say _one_ _word_ about that, Tsuki," Yumi said, suddenly becoming incredibly cold and menacing, "not only will I make you the ugliest woman alive, but I'll also ensure you'll never open your precious little mouth again. I'll make you a thousand times less sociable than I've ever been, and not just from a desire to be left alone."

Kaiba noted the sudden change in Yumi with curiosity. Whatever this secret was, it had made the sister show more emotion than he had thought possible. She had shown some excitement when Yugi had mentioned his grandfather's pathetic little game shop, but beyond that she had shown little emotion at all. She hadn't even been mocking Wheeler when she talked about his skills; she was assessing him honestly. She acted like a businesswoman, and this level of animosity did not seem to be characteristic of her.

Yugi also noticed the sudden change. He was alarmed that someone so reserved and serious would react so violently. He knew she took whatever her sister was about to reveal as incredibly personal and private, even if her sister didn't. Still, her sister's exclamation had certainly silenced Tsuki, and there was certainly a number of guys who didn't seem particularly pleased by the fact.

In truth, the more Yugi looked at the two sisters, the less alike they seemed. They were the same in build and facial features, but their personalities opposed one another. Tsuki was talkative, friendly, and bubbly; Yumi was reserved, calculating, and thoughtful. They were light and darkness, both complimenting and contradicting at once.

"Don't talk to Tsuki that way!" a guy said suddenly, stepping in front of Tsuki protectively, which made Yumi's lip twitch in amusement and annoyance. Tsuki was her sister after all; who was he to tell her how to treat her? She regarded him a moment and turned her head away to face her sister and regard her cooly. It was clear she did not regard any of the males surrounding her a threat as she conveyed something of importance to her sister.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry," Tsuki said, sighing heavily. "I'd forgotten how touchy you were about it. I promise I won't say anything. Just don't forget: you owe me a Senet game."

"Don't worry about that, Tsuki. You'll get your game soon enough," Yumi said, smirking as she noted her sister's eagerness. "Besides, you shouldn't be so eager to lose. I might just think you've finally snapped, little sister."

"Like you would know," Tsuki replied, rolling her eyes. She was rather annoyed by her sister's taunting. Of all the times she had to find her sense of humor, it always seemed to occur when she had no way of making a truly witty comeback. "Besides, I can beat you in Senet, or have your forgotten our last match, in which I wiped the floor with you."

"A mere fluke," Yumi said with a smirk. "You won't win with such an underhanded trick again. I've already determined several ways of defeating such foolish and illogical strategies."

"You _really _need to get a life, Yumi," Tsuki said. "If you have all that time to devise strategies against a computer-simulated opponent, you definitely have time to hang out with more guys."

"To each her own, sister," Yumi replied with a knowing smile. "You can spend your time with all the people you want. I'll spend my time challenging my skills and developing better techniques for my equipment. She sat back with a confident smile as she watched Tsuki, who huffed and went back to her desk in irritation. This time, victory was hers, and she would ensure the same would be true of their Senet match later.

"Yugi," she said, turning to face him suddenly, "do you by any chance have any Senet boards we could use? I'm afraid my common use board isn't set up yet, and it may be another week before I can have it fully operational."

"Sure! Yugi said happily. "You and Tsuki can follow me to Grandpa's game shop after school and I'll find a Senet board for you."

"Thank you, Yugi," she said gratefully."I just really want to get this game between my sister and I resolved. I can't wait another week; it's just too much torture to withstand for even another day. I think I should be completely mad before anything would get accomplished otherwise."


	3. Competitive Comeback

**Author's Info:** Hey guys. Sorry it took me so long to get this up. Things have been crazy, so getting a chapter transcribed from my notebook has been rather difficult. I did post two or three chapters of _Destinies of the Divine Descendants_ (my Priest Seto story), so if you haven't checked that out, by all means do. It's all computer typed, so that's been a lot easier to post. Things are going to start picking up from here, I hope. Still, it's another week where there's a lot to do, so I'm going to try and post as soon as possible.

**The "what"s:** I'm not listening to anything, actually. There's too many other things going on around me (and I'm not in my personal bubble). Just thinking about how many things are going on this week and this coming weekend, which I'm really excited for.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. It belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. If I did, Kaiba would have met somebody who could seriously challenge his ego. Why else would Yumi exist, besdes the fact she's awesome in her own right of course.

**Extra Note:** I am thoroughly excited that Destinies of the Divine Descendants has had over 100 views. It really makes me want to keep posting. Thanks everyone.

Chapter Three

After school, Yumi sighed when she noticed Tsuki was still talking to a rather large crowd of people. The majority of them were guys, and some of them were even looking her way. She knew that in a few more weeks they wouldn't even bother. She would be left completely alone. All she had to do was wait it out patiently. Still, who could be patient when they had a sister like Tsuki?

"I'm sorry, Yugi," she said apologetically. "My sister is a very social person, and she takes a long time to get ready to go anywhere, especially once she starts talking to someone. I hope it's not causing you too much trouble."

"It's alright," Yugi said. "So, Yumi, how long have you been playing Senet? I didn't know anyone else who had even heard of the game before now."

"Speaking of not knowing, what exactly is Senet?" Tristan asked, confused and curious. "I definitely haven't heard of it before. Is it something new?"

"Actually, it's a game dating back to ancient Egypt. The pharaohs used to play it, as did commoners after a time. Think of it as an ancient variation of chess," Yumi explained. "As for Tsuki and I, we've been playing Senet ever since we were small. Our father is an Egyptologist; he's the one who got us started."

"But why do you need a Senet board and pieces? Surely it's not that hard to unpack. It's just a small board game," Yugi said, rather confused.

"That's because Yumi has two boards, neither of which are as easily quick to set up. Yumi's first Senet board is actually thousands of years old, and she refuses to use it in any game expect the most important ones. The second board is actually one she designed. It's a holographic version of Senet and for us to play she'd have to reassemble it and re-enable the program for the system," Tsuki said as she walked over to them.

"You created a holographic Senet game?" Yugi asked incredulously. Other than Kaiba, he had never known anyone else who was interested or capable enough of creating holographic imaging. Yugi glanced over at Kaiba and noticed he was listening intently to their conversation. He was sure Kaiba was curious about her abilities.

"Of course. Yumi designed holographic versions of almost all of her favorite games: Senet, De Sielder von Catan, chess, role playing games, you name it. She's even set up a system for games like Monster World and Duel Monsters. She worked in the tech and gaming industry, after all," Tsuki boasted.

"It was all small-scale work, and all for personal use," Yumi quickly amended, looking over at Kaiba. "I just used the knowledge I had and began messing with it in our spare room. My real project is only just getting underway," she admitted.

"What project is that?" Kaiba asked. He was growing unusually curious. This girl had the skill to develop holographic technology on a small scale. That required not only the necessary funds and parts, but also a conservable amount of knowledge and skill. The money he knew they weren't lacking; her sister seemed to have rather expensive taste in hairstyle and clothing, even if it was only hinted at due to the uniform.

"Yumi wants to develop her own virtual tech game," Tsuki said. "I think it's pretty stupid to devote all of her free time to making a stupid game set in ancient Egypt, but she says she wants to try all the same. Therein lies our bet."

"What's this bet?" Joey asked, becoming rather interested due to his curiosity. Yumi's openly hostile glare for openly disclosing and insulting her plans before revealing their bet only made him wonder even more. This was getting to be almost as good as seeing Yugi take down Rich Boy Kaiba.

"If Tsuki wins, I have to spend my time going out with people more and socializing frequently. I am also not allowed to seek employment, especially within the tech and gaming industry," Yumi said, sighing heavily at the thought. "If I win, however, Tsuki has to stop complaining about my work habits, give me free reign in designing the game room, and she has to return the title of Amunshem to me."

"Amunshem?" Yugi asked.

"When we were little, Tsuki and I played against my father, who was actually the champion of not only Senet, but of a few other ancient games we still play today. As I got older, I began to work harder to defeat my father. When I finally did, he gave me the title Amunshem as well as my Egyptian name: Hekara. Tsuki was given her name as well Mirsis. Whenever we play Senet, we each lay claim to the title of Amunshem in honor of our heritage. Whoever wins gets the title. I've only lost the title a few times, and this last time was rather unexpected. I intend to win the title back today, however."

"Is the title that important to you?" Tea asked. She couldn't understand why Yumi was making such a big deal about it. It was just a game and a rather silly title that meant nothing to her anyway.

"The title of Amunshem is a pretty big deal, especially for Yumi," Tsuki said seriously. "It was a title given to the most powerful high priestess in ancient Egypt. Only a priestess with complete devotion and loyalty could receive such a title, and she was highly esteemed. Every pharaoh heeded the advice of the Amunshem, and some pharaohs even married their Amunshem."

"Even is we are not priestesses, such a title is still highly honored among the community. I fight for this title in honor of my Egyptian heritage, which even Tsuki admits has an influence on her."

"You're Egyptian?" Yugi asked, excited. The sisters nodded and looked at each other. Tsuki pointed to Yumi's eyes while Yumi motioned to Tsuki's figure.

"Our mother was half-Japanese, half-Egyptian," Tsuki said. "She comes from an old family line that can be traced back for more than 2,000 years. It's even been shown to have close connections to later pharaohs. It's part of what brought our parents together, after all. You can see the results of it in our genetic makeup."

"We have reason to believe one of our own ancestors may have been an Amunshem," Yumi said. "Our father has studied our lineage extensively; we keep a copy of the records in our home, although it's usually only for display purposes."

"Grandpa will be excited to hear about that," Yugi said. "He's done a lot of researching during his travels and excavations in other parts of the world. He'll probably also want to watch the Senet game, if that's alright with you, of course."

"Sure! The more the merrier!" Tsuki said with a grin.

"Of course, it is your grandfather's shop after all," Yumi agreed. "Besides, if Tsuki's willing to have an audience watch her defeat, I 'm willing to accommodate her." She smirked at Tsuki's noise of annoyance and followed Yugi out of the room. Tea, Joey, Tristan, and her sister followed. They were rather curious as to how a Senet game was played, and they wanted to see the gaming skills of both Yumi and Tsuki. Bakura followed them as well. He was eager to learn more about them, and to spend time with his friends.

"Kaiba, what do you think you're doing?" Joey asked as he noticed Kaiba had begun following them. "I thought you had some stupid company to run and that you were too busy to play games with a bunch of amateurs," he mocked. Kaiba smirked in response.

"A game with amateurs is indeed pointless, but, if Yumi si the designer and gamer she claims to be, I should be in for an interesting match." Yumi looked at Kaiba and frowned; he was sizing her up as competition, and this game could prove more important than she had initially thought. She was willing to guess Kaiba had not yet seen her job application, and this could be what got her the job or ruined her chances.


	4. Selfish Sacrifice

**Author's Info:** Wow, _Destinies of the Divine Descendants_ has over 150 views now. I'm pretty excited about that. Also, this segment of _Sando No Jigoku_ is over 2500 words, which is long for this story. I'm pretty happy with the way things are progressing. All I could ask for now is someone to review and tell me what they think of how the story is progressing.

**The "what"s:** Listening to random conversations around me and thinking about how my free time tends to change between having so much I don't know what to do and no free time at all. I'm also thinking about some of the books I've read recently and how entertaining they have been.

**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, but I don't. I do own Shinji, Tsuki, and Yumi, and I'll own some new people who come in way down the road, but they're not as exciting as the Yu-Gi-Oh characters. You wouldn't be reading this if it didn't contain Kaiba and Yugi, after all.

_Chapter Four_

"Grandpa, I'm home!" Yugi called as he walked in through the front door of the shop. His grandpa soon exited from the back and smiled to him.

"Welcome back, Yugi! Oh, it seems you brought your friends," he said as he looked over at them. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the two girls and Kaiba enter behind them. He looked at Yugi quizzically, eyes demanding an explanation.

"Grandpa, this is Yumi and Tsuki Makoto. They're new here."

"Wait, did you say Makoto?" his grandpa asked, clearly surprised. "Are you by any chance the daughters of Shinji Makoto, the famous Egyptologist?"

"Yes, we are Shinji Makoto's daughters. I am Yumi," she said, bowing respectfully. "Might I enquire as to how you know our father?" She ignored the strange look her sister gave her as she waited for his response.

"My name is Solomon Mutou. I've gone on a few excavations with your father. I don't know if you remember me, but, if I recall correctly, you were rather busy with the excavation yourself, Yumi. I believe you were working on one of the inner chambers of the tomb."

"Ah, yes, I remember," she said with a smile. "You went on an expedition to the Valley of the Kings with my father two years ago. I really appreciate your help in recovering those artifacts. We're still working on the inscriptions, though."

Tsuki studied Solomon Mutou and shrugged. "I wouldn't really remember," she admitted. "I don't really do a lot with the excavation. For me, the trips to Egypt are just a yearly vacation. Yumi and Dad are the ones who spend their time on the project. You could say they're obsessed with their findings in Egypt."

"Just because you don't care as much about our past and our heritage doesn't mean I feel the same way, Tsuki," Yumi said. "Really, I'm fascinated by ancient Egypt. I've been studying some ancient manuscripts our great-grandfather gave me shortly before he passed away. Consider it my inheritance. I have reason to believe these manuscripts may contain vital information on the Great Pharaoh and the mystery of his lost name."

"Yumi's obsessed with everything mentioning the Great Pharaoh," Tsuki teased. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was her boyfriend. She certainly acts old enough!" Tsuki laughed while Yumi just sighed and gave her an exasperated look.

"What's so great about some dead king?" Kaiba asked, more than annoyed by all this talk of mummies and pyramids. She was even worse than Yugi. All he wanted to do was see this game and return to his company. He was a busy man, after all.

"The Great Pharaoh isn't even mentioned in many places where one would normally see documentation of the pharaohs, and the few where he has been found either just say 'the Great Pharaoh' or have his name scratched out. For a person who is such a mystery, he's incredibly important. During his reign the Shadow Games, precursor to our modern day Duel Monsters, were played in great battles that may have influenced the very course of history. Little is known about his reign, and there still hasn't been any sign of the location of his tomb. It's my hope to someday find the tomb and unlock the mysteries. Who knows, maybe we'll even be able to uncover his name. "Now, if I recall correctly, Tsuki, I wasn't the one who was obsessed with the Great Pharaoh. You're the one who liked to listen to stories about him all the time, was I, Tsuki?" she taunted knowingly, making her sister flush bright red.

"That's right, _you_ were obsessed with his high priest, Guardian Seto," she replied teasingly, making Yumi flush the same shade as her. "Is _that_ the real reason you want to find his tomb and learn more about the Great Pharaoh, sister?"

"One more word, Tsuki, and I'll reveal _exactly_ what you thought about the Great Pharaoh," Yumi warned, knowing her sister was going to continue on this tangent so long as she allowed it. Tsuki glared at her sister for even daring to divulge such information, but remained silent. Yumi sighed in relief and looked around at everyone, who were staring at them in curiosity. "Trust me," she said seriously, "unless you want an insanely long story about things you likely wouldn't understand, it really is in your best interest _not_ to ask us what any of that just meant."

"Alright then," Solomon said, chuckling at the interchange between the two sisters, "perhaps you can instead tell me what brings you to my game shop?" Those two certainly hadn't changed much in the two years since he had last seen them. Tsuki was ever the dreamer, and Yumi was still serious and pragmatic.

"Oh, right," Yugi said, realizing he hadn't told his grandfather. "Grandpa, Tsuki and Yumi were wondering if they could borrow a Senet board game. They apparently want to settle something andTsuki says Yumi doesn't have her boards set up yet. Can they borrow one from the shop? I'm pretty sure we have a set lying around here somewhere."

"You sisters don't change," Solomon said, chuckling more. "Still challenging each other about everything, aren't you? Of course I'll let you use one of the Senet boards. I do have one condition, though."

"Of course, Mr. Mutou!" Tsuki said. She was willing to agree to almost anything if it meant a chance to beat her sister faster. Yumi needed social skills desperately, and winning this match would only mean she would shut herself up with her work and her games even more than she had in Tokyo, especially if she got that job working for Kaiba.

"I'd like it if Yumi would duel against my grandson Yugi sometime. I want to see his skills tested, and who better to test them than Hekara, the Pharaoh's Guardian?"

"I would be honored to duel against the King of Games, Mr. Mutou, although I'm afraid I may not prove as much of a challenge to him as you seem to believe I will be. It's been a long time since I've run through any sort of tournament circuit, and I'm afraid what duels I have been in are rather different in nature than tournament style dueling."

"Hey, Yug, what are your grandpa and Yumi talking about?" Tristan asked. Yugi just shrugged. He was just as confused as Tristan. He's never heard of this Pharaoh's Guardian before. He heard a sharp intake from behind them and turned around to see Kaiba was staring and Yumi in disbelief.

"There's no way she can be the Pharaoh's Guardian. Pharaoh's Guardian hasn't been seen in any duels in two years, not since winning the ultra-rare Draconic Mage card at Pegasus' very exclusive tournament."

"Of course Yumi's the Pharaoh's Guardian," Tsuki said, offended by Kaiba's disbelief and insulting attitude toward her sister. "Why would she lie about such a thing? She worked hard to win those two copies of the Draconic Mage card. It was the only reason she even attended that tournament two years ago. She already had the first one, and she needed the second. It was the only way she could get it."

"What do you mean 'the only reason'?" Yugi asked, interested now. "Why wouldn't you want to enter tournament competition?"

"Tournament competition is all about showing off your power and hoping to attain even more power, wealth, prestige, whatever. There aren't many pro duelists who are real contenders with a good duelist, anyway. I face better duelists in the Tomb Robber and Guardian circuits, even if they've only just joined the ranks. Some of the best duelists in the world are in these circuits, although if I told you their names, you wouldn't even know they were duelists. It's from these two circuits that I got my nickname 'Pharaoh's Guardian'."

"How did you even get into those circuits?" Kaiba asked in disbelief. "Only the most secretive and elite duelists around the world have even _heard_ of these two circuits! There's no way a girl like you could have won _both_ of those circuits even once!"

"Actually, Yumi won in both circuits three times, in a row no less!" Tsuki said proudly. Kaiba stared at Yumi, which Tsuki knew was making her both insulted and extremely uncomfortable. She wished he would just stop looking at her like that. What was so hard to believe about it?

"I was invited by a friend of my father," she admitted. "Many people in both circuits have connections to the archeological excavations my father and I go to. Some of the best duelists I've ever faced in either circuit have actually been working with me at these excavation sites for years. The circuits are rather hard to get into, I'll admit. They're only joinable by someone who has attracted the attention of multiple members, is challenged by a high-ranking member, defeats him, and shows a connection to a very particular point in Egyptian history: the reign of the Great Pharaoh."

"How would you even be able to prove something like that?" Yugi asked, excited and very curious about this new information. "I mean, sharing a connection to a point in time we know very little about? That would be pretty hard to prove."

"It is rather hard to prove," Yumi agreed, "but Tsuki and I have a very old bloodline, for one thing. Another, rather strange, fact is that both Tsuki and I can read, write, and speak ancient Egyptian, yet neither of us had any classes, training, or instruction, even from our father."

"But it was really Yumi's card that got their interest," Tsuki said. "One of the men in the circuit said that only one person could control my sister's monster: the Amunshem of the Great Pharaoh."

"We're not sure how he knows all this, but he told us it was depicted on the walls of her tomb. It's also rumored to be mentioned in the tomb of the Great Pharaoh as well, although not in as much detail."

"I thought no one has ever made it into his tomb," Yugi said.

"No archeological venture ever has, and I doubt any archeologist has any information at all about his Amunshem. That doesn't mean this man's words are necessarily false, though. He comes from an ancient bloodline in Egypt as well, and his family has no connections to the archeologists. They've been secluded for years; he's the first to break their silence."

"Then why tell all of this to some girl? Why not to someone who could look into the matter more fully?" Kaiba asked. He didn't believe anything this girl said was true. It was all too fantastical, and there was no logic to explain it.

"He said he was looking for those with connections to the Great Pharaoh. He said now that the Millennium Puzzle has been completed, the Pharaoh would need all the help he could get to defeat his arch-nemesis. He entered the circuit to find those who had been important members in the Pharaoh's court and call them to their duty once again," Tsuki said defensively.

"I don't know if I am the reincarnation of the Great Pharaoh's Amunshem or not," Yumi said thoughtfully, "but I do know there's a reason I was given the only two copies of the Draconic Mage card. I don't believe in coincidence. There's always a reason behind everything, whether we comprehend it or not."

Kaiba scoffed at the sisters' obvious belief in all that nonsense about the ancient past. It was all nonsense, and it would only distract him from his company. Yumi heard him scoff and glared.

"You know, Tsuki, I may just have to consider holding off on our Senet game after all. I've found a much better way of spending my time: beating Kaiba." Kaiba stared at her serious expression in shock for a moment before erupting into laughter.

"You, a nobody, defeat me?" Kaiba asked, laughing even harder. She may have some skills with games, but there was no way she would be able to defeat him.

"We'll make a bargain," she said seriously. "One you simply cannot refuse."

"And what could you possibly have to offer that I haven't already got?" Kaiba asked, intrigued and annoyed by her sudden business-like demeanor.

"If I win, not only do you stop insulting all my work in Egypt and my skills as a duelist, but you are also to give me a high-ranking job in your company." Kaiba stared at her, realizing she was completely serious. He smirked.

"Alright, but, if I win, you'll not only have to refrain from all your mumbo-jumbo nonsense, you'll also have to do whatever I say for an entire month." He was going to enjoy beating this girl into the ground. He would prove she was nowhere near good enough to challenge him, and he would make her regret it.

"Don't do it, Yumi!" Tsuki said, looking at her sister seriously. "Your work in Egypt has been your motivation for everything. If you lose, you'll have to give that up." Much as she hated her sister's workaholic attitude, she admired her dedication to her work and the things she loved. She also knew her work in the excavations was what kept her sister going when she needed a reason to look forward.

"Tsuki's right," Joey said. "It's not worth risking everything you enjoy for a chance to beat Rich Boy."

"Yumi has to make her own decision," Yugi said. He knew Yumi wanted to duel Kaiba, and that she intended to go through with it anyway. He understood why she felt the need to do so: she was trying to prove to herself she was strong enough to defeat anyone who said that what she believed was stupid. She was going to prove that to Kaiba as well.

"Thank you, Yugi," she said, smiling gratefully. Knowing someone else understood her need to stand up to Kaiba was comforting. She turned to Kaiba and said, "I accept your conditions. Does tomorrow after school sound like an acceptable time to settle our dispute?"

"Fine," Kaiba said.

"Great, that means Yumi and I can have our game after all!" Tsuki said happily. She turned to Mr. Mutou and asked, "So, can we borrow that Senet game after all? I really want to help my sister get a social life before it's too late."

"As if, Tsuki," Yumi said, smirking. She looked at Kaiba as though challenging him to stay and watch. "I'm going to win back my rightful title once and for all." She knew Kaiba wouldn't be able to resist the bait she had laid before him. She was going to show him, and Tsuki, she really was good enough to win.


	5. Integral Interval

**Author's Info:** Wow, two in one day. I guess I've had more free time today than I initially thought. Still, I don't know if I'll have one up this weekend. Things are going to be really busy. Anyway, I'm happy with the way this is progressing, and I hope you are too. I'm not really sure, but I'm going to guess by the drop-off in views that it may not be the case. If you have an issue with something, please review.

**The "what"s:** Listening to Linkin Park's Minutes to Midnight and Jem's Finally Woken albums and thinking about how much I'm looking forward to the weekend.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, I wouldn't be posting on here. I'd be able to actually have a plot line specifically based on what happens to Priest Seto _after_ the death of the Pharaoh, and I'd give Kaiba a few more duels. Sure, he _can_ be predictable, but he still has some awesome dueling skills. All I claim is current plot line and Tsuki and Yumi, but I guess they're at least somewhat interesting, right?

_Chapter Five_

"I can't believe I lost!" Tsuki wailed when the game was over. "You had to have cheated! There's no way you could have beaten my strategy! It was flawless!"

"You know full well I don't cheat, Tsuki," Yumi said, sitting back in the chair with a smirk on her face. "Besides, if your strategy was flawless, you wouldn't have lost. Don't blame me if you're incapable of seeing through my strategies."

"I don't get it," Joey said. He looked at Yugi and asked, "How was she able to defeat Tsuki' strategy? I could have sworn Tsuki had her beat."

"At first glance, I'm sure it would seem that way," Yugi agreed, "but when you look closer, you could see Yumi was lining up her pieces so she could not only send back most of Tsuki's pieces at critical times, but also ensure her own pieces were lined up perfectly when the time came. That let her have a clean shot. It's really hard to pull off; only an incredibly skilled player could effectively do so without being noticed and without falling far behind in the game."

"No wonder you're the King of Games, Yugi," Yumi said appreciatively. "Not only did you explain my strategy in full, but you were easily able to follow along with it and see through my ploys during the game. I could tell by the expression on your face as Tsuki began falling into a false sense of security. Normally I wouldn't play games with my opponents, but I have been known to make some exceptions."

Kaiba smirked when he saw her look over at him. He knew she took him seriously as an opponent, but she still underestimated him nonetheless. She may be a good duelist and a skilled gamer, but she certainly wouldn't be good enough to defeat him. He picked up his briefcase and exited the shop.

"Well played, Yumi," Solomon said. "I can see why your father said you were a formidable opponent. I look forward to seeing your duel against Yugi someday."

"I'm honored, Mr. Mutou," she said, bowing deeply. She looked over at Yugi and smiled. "I just hope I can prove to be as tough as you believe me to be."

Yugi smiled. He was sure that, when the time came for them to duel, Yumi would be quite the opponent, not only for him, but also for the Pharaoh.

"Ah! I have to go! I'm going to be late!" Tsuki suddenly exclaimed. Yumi looked at her sister in confusion then checked her watch. When she saw the time, she shook her head and sighed.

"Tsuki's favorite show starts in ten minutes and it will take her almost that long just to get home. I don't care for the show personally, so I'm in no hurry to leave," Yumi said in answer to the others' quizzical looks.

"But I have t go now!" Tsuki said, looking at her sister desperately. Much as she wanted to see her show, she didn't want to walk home alone. This was a new place for her, and she still wasn't very good at figuring out the directions. "You can't leave me to walk home alone, Yumi!"

"We'll take you home!" Tristan and Joey suddenly said. They saw their chance to earn Tsuki's favor, and they were hoping it would eventually lead to them getting a date with her, preferably by the end of the week. "You won't need to be afraid because we'll be there to protect you!"

"O-okay then," Tsuki said, unsure about the two of them, yet relieved to have someone remotely trustworthy to walk home with. "Will you be coming home too, Yumi?" She really hoped she would, although she knew that was unlikely.

"Not yet. I was actually hoping to maybe look at a few cards for my deck before leaving. I won't be too long, though. I do have to get home relatively quickly. I want to spend tonight observing Kaiba's old duels, so I'll be spending my night doing that. I won't be much fun, I'm afraid. I want to make sure I'm ready for tomorrow."

"But you've already seen all his duels at least five times!" Tsuki said. "You can already name off his strategy based on what card he plays!"

"But now I'm looking at how my particular deck can be used to defeat the weaknesses in his strategies. I don't want to have to change my deck just to face him, but I have to ensure it will stand up against his Crush Card Virus and his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon."

"Alright, just be sure to get at least _some_ sleep," Tsuki forewarned. "I know you like Kaiba as a duelist, but that's no reason to kill yourself trying to prepare."

"I won't," Yumi promised. "Now go home before you completely miss your show." Tsuki gasped and grabbed Tristan and Joey's arms before rushing out the door with a hurried goodbye.

"I'd better get going too," Bakura said. "It was nice to meet you, Yumi. I'll see you in school tomorrow, Yugi." Yumi smiled and bowed while Yugi waved goodbye.

"I have to go, too," Tea said. "I'll see you tomorrow, Yugi!" She waved goodbye to Yugi and Yumi and headed home. She could see Yumi wanted to ask Yugi something in private and she didn't want to be a bother. It wasn't as if she was about to hit on him, so she didn't mind.

"Yugi," Yumi began, turning to him once the others had left, "I know I promised Solomon Mutou I would duel you, and nothing would give me greater pleasure, but I can sense that won't happen in the near future."

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, rather surprised by her serious expression. "Why wouldn't we be allowed to duel?"

"Two reasons, really," she said. "The first being that I intend to defeat Kaiba tomorrow and get myself a job, as well as possibly make my project mainstream, if I can get Kaiba to approve it, that is. All that work takes time and adjustment, especially when we still haven't fully unpacked and my equipment is in desperate need of assembly.

"The more important reason, though, is that I want to duel _you_. Don't get me wrong; I'd _love_ a chance to duel against the Great Pharaoh himself, but your grandfather asked me to duel you. I don't consider the two to be the same thing."

"You know about Yami?" Yugi asked, stunned. She hadn't even seen Yami before, yet she already knew things his own friends hadn't even noticed until he told them what was going on.

"Of course," she said with a smile. "I'm well versed on ancient Egypt, so I know all about the seven Millennium Items. I know you're the one who completed the Millennium Puzzle and unlocked the Pharaoh's spirit. I could tell he was the one dueling in Duelist Kingdom."

Yumi started when she noticed a sudden flash. She looked to see Yugi had changed. He was slightly taller and had more bangs than usual. His eyes had also narrowed and were more like the type of eyes she and her sister had.

"How much do you know about me?" he asked. He had overheard his partner's discussion with her and he was impressed by her knowledge of ancient Egypt. He wondered if this girl could tell him more about himself, and if it was really possible for her to be the reincarnation of his Amunshem.

"P-Pharaoh?" Yumi stuttered in surprise. She hadn't expected him to appear so suddenly, much less for him to begin asking her questions about his past. She quickly regained her composure, though, and said, "I'm afraid I only know what my father and Ashai have told me. I've never seen any written account or known anyone who could tell me in full. I'm sorry I can't be of more assistance to you, my Pharaoh."

"Please, call me Yami," he said. She smiled and nodded. Yami could tell this girl seemed incredibly familiar to him, but he wasn't sure how. Still, she was someone he and Yugi could trust, and she would likely become a good friend.

"Alright, Yami," she said. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but, if I'm to keep the promise I made to my sister, I really need to get some new cards and depart." She went to the display case and looked at the cards inside. She smirked when she saw the card that would complete her ultimate strategy and said, "Give me two packs and that card. It's exactly what I need to complete my deck."


	6. Bright Beginnings

**Author's Info:** Sorry it's taken me so long to post an update to this one! I've had no time to transcribe this onto the computer until tonight. I had a crazy weekend and an even crazier week, but I thankfully have tomorrow off. I'm going to start working on chapter seven as soon as I have this posted, so that should make things go even faster, I hope. Anyway, thanks to everyone who has read all of this so far! Over 100 hits and counting. Please give me _some_ sort of commentary though, just so I know how I'm doing.

**The "what"s:** Listening to _Kawaita Sakebi_ by FIELD OF VIEW, _Overlap_ by Kimeru, _WARRIORS_ by Yuuichi Ikuzawa, and other Yu-Gi-Oh openings and endings for inspiration. Lately, though, I've been dealing with a lot of drama in my life, so I've been thinking about how much I feel like I'm back in high school. Hopefully things get better soon.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, I wouldn't be spending my free time writing stories about the characters in a random notebook. I'd be doing this full time and loving it. Still, if you're reading this chapter, it must mean I've done _something_ right.

_Chapter Six_

"Come _on_ Tsuki!" Yumi yelled, incredibly annoyed. "I'm leaving now, with or without you!" She turned to the door and was about to leave when she heard her sister coming down the steps.

"Not without me!" she said. "You wouldn't want me to tell Dad you ran off on me again, would you?" she threatened, rushing down the stairs.

"And you wouldn't want me telling Father you're making me run late every day, would you?" Yumi countered, effectively silencing her sister. "Nice try, Tsuki, but those kinds of threats aren't going to work on me."

"Why can't you let me enjoy just one victory?" Tsuki whined. "You always have to be such a killjoy, Yumi."

"That's not true, and you know it," Yumi said, laughing a little. "After all, the only reason you want me to 'get a life' is because you want other people to see what I'm like when I want to have fun. Besides, I'm setting up your favorite games tonight, if I get that package I've been waiting for. I should have everything fully operational by the end of the week, if everything goes according to plan."

"Really? What about your duel with Kaiba, though? I thought you were all about beating him in that big duel today."

"Oh, I will, don't worry," Yumi said, smirking at the thought. "I've got it all figured out. Kaiba's predictable. Plus, I just got one of the last components to creating my ultimate creature."

"Really?" Tsuki asked, getting excited. "Do you think you're going to summon it today?" She knew Yumi had been waiting for years to finally be able to summon this monster, and the possibility of seeing it had her feeling exhilarated.

"We'll see if the gods have it in store," Yumi said, "but, if it is, Kaiba will be in for the shock of his life. Now come on already, I don't want to talk about it in the classroom." With that, the Yumi ended the talk and went into the classroom.

She immediately noticed Kaiba was already sitting at his desk, looking irritated and disgruntled as usual. She sighed and sat down beside him before opening her new book. She knew Tsuki was going to run off and talk to people, and she really didn't want to be bothered by the general populace today. She wanted to save all her energy, and patience, for the duel.

"Hey Yumi!" she heard someone say in greeting. She looked up to see it had been Yugi. She smiled and put down her book after marking the page. Despite only knowing him such a short time, Yumi couldn't help but like the quiet, innocent, and very friendly King of Games, which was a first for her. She had never gotten so accustomed and tolerant of a person quickly. Maybe Tsuki was rubbing off on her after all.

"Good morning Yugi," she said, still smiling. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm doing great!" Yugi said. "I was running a bit late, but I made it here with a few minutes to spare, I guess. Besides, I'm really excited about the duel after school today. Do you think you're ready for it?"

"Of course I'm ready for it," she said confidently, her smile growing. "I went through my deck and decided which strategies would likely work the best. Besides, with the addition of a few specific cards, I may actually be able to finally bring to light a strategy I've only ever been able to calculate in theory. Even in a simulation, I haven't been able to execute it yet. It requires such a specific combination of cards, the conditions are incredibly difficult to achieve. We'll just have to wait and see if Fate will decide to finally allow me to see my work pay off at last."

"I hope I get to see that combination, Yumi," Yugi said, curious as to what that possible combination would be, and just how powerful it was. It must be pretty powerful, if the conditions are that difficult. She was certainly a skilled duelist to have even come up with such a difficult strategy, but to pull it off would only further prove her strength as the Pharaoh's Guardian.

"We'll leave it up to Fate to decide. In the meantime, I really look forward to reading this new book. As I said yesterday, I'm not the most social of people. Tsuki can talk your ear off if you're not careful, however, so if there's anything you really need to find out . . ."

"It's alright," Yugi said, understanding her desire to not give anything away to the other students. He was quickly learning she was an incredibly private person, and that her easy friendship with him was not something she was accustomed to. He decided to give her space and went over to Tsuki's desk.

"So, Yugi, are you going to come with us after school?" Tsuki asked excitedly, ignoring the others around her for the moment. "Yumi's beyond excited about all this. She spent all last night calibrating her deck with those amazing cards she bought! I haven't been this excited about a duel since the last excavation!"

"Of course I'll go," Yugi said, smiling brightly. "I wouldn't miss this for anything! If it's important to Yumi, then it's definitely important to me, too. After all, she is my friend."

"You're right," Tsuki admitted cheerfully. "Strange as it is to admit." She laughed and looked over at her sister happily. Maybe the move to Domino City would do her sister some good, after all. In Tokyo, and even before, Yumi had always been reserved, and the fact she placed this much trust in Yugi after having only just met him made Tsuki happy. Even if she did end up getting a job with Kaiba, at least she would find time to spend with friends too, now that she had them.

"What is it, Tsuki?" Yugi asked, noticing the thoughtful, yet incredibly joyous and optimistic smile on her face.

"Yugi, will you promise me something?" she asked. Then, seeming to remember the group around her, she said, "Sorry guys, but today I gotta pull a Yumi. We have a big day and I really need to make sure I can be there for my sister if she needs me. I promise I'll be more social tomorrow."

Yumi chuckled when she heard her sister say that. It was certainly a rare event for Tsuki to ask her admirers to leave her alone, but she appreciated the gesture. It meant that Tsuki was giving her full support in her duel against Kaiba, and the way she was talking to Yugi about her made her realize Tsuki also understood the importance of this developing friendship with him. For once, Tsuki was about to look after _her_. She looked over at her sister and smiled gratefully. Tsuki saw the smile and beamed back.

"Yugi, mind if I talk to you along during lunch?" Tsuki asked. "I need to talk to you about something personal, and I'd really rather not be overheard."

"Sure," Yugi said, wondering what was so important that Tsuki, who Yumi had said loved to be around people, would leave them to talk to him alone. He had to admit he liked the idea of being alone with Tsuki; there was just something about her he couldn't help but find attractive. Sure, Yumi was the more beautiful of the two, but Tsuki's personality was more like his.

Yumi reminded him of Yami in many ways, or maybe even Kaiba. She was obviously hard-working, and she clearly loved creating new strategies to win all sorts of games. Yugi also knew she was incredibly loyal and protective of her family and friends. Even if it was hard to earn her trust, once you did she would do just about anything to keep you safe. He could see it in the way she watched the people surrounding Tsuki, and even in the way she had stood up to Kaiba yesterday.

His glance darted over to Yumi, who was watching them with a small smile. When she saw him looking over, she smiled more and turned her gaze to her book once again. Yugi wondered if she really had what it took to beat Kaiba today. After all, he was the world champion. Still, Yugi knew he had to believe in her; that job, and her work in Egypt, depended on her victory.


	7. Thoughtful Tears

**Author's Info:** This got up really quickly, although it was mostly due to the fact I stayed up with a friend for hours instead of going to bed. I don't really mind; I'm a late night person anyway. It just made sense to finish my chapter since I was so close. I hope you guys like this chapter. You get a very brief glimpse into the other sides of the Makoto sisters. Next chapter is the first installation of the duel segment. I hope you enjoy it!

**The "what"s:** Listening to Desert Rose by Sting and the random Sailor Moon episodes my friend pulled up. Thinking about how awkward life can be sometimes, and how funny these awkward moments can be (so long as they're not happening to you, of course).

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, I would gladly be spending my time adding on to the Yugi centered universe. Everyone knows we need to see Yugi and Kaiba duke it out once Yami is gone. As it stands, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but I do own the twins and other OCs, as well as the current plot. Please tell me what you think of it!

**Extra Note:** Three hundred views of _Destinies of the Divine Descendants_ and one hundred fifty views of _Sando No Jigoku_. I'm pretty excited about this. Please enjoy.

_Chapter Seven_

"So you really think you stand a chance of defeating me?" Kaiba asked, more than a little amused, and irritated, by her attitude. He hadn't moved at all, despite the fact lunch had started more than five minutes ago. Yumi glanced up from her book. She also had not moved from her seat, instead taking out her book from earlier. She had hoped becoming engrossed in her book would mean the others would leave her alone.

"I don't think, Kaiba," she said seriously, "I know I at least stand a chance of defeating you. It's no long-shot, either. I don't believe in pulling underhanded tricks. I'll defeat you fair and square, or I'll go down with my head held high."

"If you're so confident, why speak about defeat at all?" Kaiba scoffed. "I think you just don't want to admit my skills are superior to yours in every way, so you're trying to get around it with all your vague nonsense."

"Even the King of Games has to lose sometime," Yumi said, still being serious, "and while I don't intend to lose, it's still possible. The future is rarely absolute, so even if I did have the ability to see into the future, it could still be changed by one man's drive and determination."

"Spare me your nonsense," Kaiba said, thoroughly annoyed.

"But that's what you believe as well, isn't it?" she countered quietly. "That, even though everything can look like you're headed into ruin, if you just face it with grim determination and fight with everything in yourself, you can change Fate itself. Nothing is ever completely spelled out for us. It is possible to change the future if you're willing to try hard enough."

"And what would you possibly know about that?" Kaiba snapped. "Don't act like you know me. You don't know the first thing about me."

"I know more than you think," she said, her voice taking a quiet, pained tone that surprised Kaiba. Her face was hard and expressionless, like a stone mask. "There's a lot about me you won't find out in your precious background checks, Kaiba. Maybe our duel today will show you that, and, who knows, you might actually learn a thing or two."

"Like it will really matter," he said. He was really beginning to look forward to when he could beat her in the duel. He would greatly enjoy shutting her up. His gaze drifted to her when she didn't reply. She was staring at the book, but her eyes weren't moving; she was obviously not reading the book. There was a pained and disturbed light in her eyes. After a moment, she stood up.

"Please excuse me," she said, "I think I need a moment to collect my thoughts." With that, she walked out the door. Kaiba simply shrugged it off; it wasn't something he should care about anyway. There was no need to get involved.

"So what did you want to talk about, Tsuki?" Yugi asked when they had entered the deserted classroom. He was curious as to why they had to go elsewhere to discuss this topic, and he knew that, whatever it was, it was of extreme importance.

"Yugi, do you consider my sister to be your friend?" she asked. She knew he would say yes, but she needed to make him understand just how important all this was to her, and, more importantly, to her sister.

"Of course I consider Yumi to be my friend!" Yugi said, shocked Tsuki would even ask such a thing after he had already said so. "Especially since Yumi was willing to talk to me and invite me to watch her duel against Kaiba."

"So you'll cheer for my sister during the duel?"

"Yes, of course! Yumi wants to win against Kaiba badly, and she believes in the heart of the cards. She's dueling to protect the things she loves, and to earn Kaiba's respect by proving she has what it takes to work for him. Yumi is an amazing duelist, I'm sure, and I'm also sure her technological skills are top rate. Maybe Kaiba will even take on her game."

Tsuki stared at Yugi in shock. Somehow he had seen all of Yumi's reasons for wanting to duel and he respected her for it. Even Yumi's best friend in Tokyo had never really understood why she went through all that work to get where she was.

"Thank you, Yugi," Tsuki said gratefully, "for being such a good friend to my sister. I've never met anyone outside our family who really understood her, yet you're able to understand her in a way even I can't. Please keep looking after her. Yumi won't admit it, but she's really very lonely. She works hard and does a lot for our family, more than Dad and I ever really pay attention to. If it weren't for her, our family probably would've fallen apart a long time ago, but she doesn't really have anyone to keep her from falling apart. She always feels like she has to be strong, like she's not allowed to show her weaknesses to anyone. Even to me, her twin, she doesn't cry or empty her problems very often. In fact, I rarely know what is really on her mind.

"What I really want to say, though, is this: please continue to be a good friend to her. Even if she doesn't cry to you, even if she never seems to remove her mask, you don't know how important your friendship is to her. You became friends immediately, which has never happened to Yumi before. I don't know why it was so easy for the two of you to become friends, but I do know that you and Yumi are meant to be close. Please don't hurt my sister. I can't forgive anyone who hurts my sister, even if they're my friend."

"I would never intentionally do something to hurt Yumi!" Yugi exclaimed. "If Yumi trusts me as much as your say, then I'm very happy. Yumi s a very good person and she deserves friends who will stand by her. I promise we won't turn our backs on her, and we'll be there for her whenever she needs us."

"Thank you, Yugi," Tsuki said gratefully before kissing his cheek. She was so happy to know there was someone else who would look after her sister, someone she could trust and look to as well. She didn't know why, but she felt drawn to Yumi's short new friend and she looked forward to spending more time with him.

That's when she saw Yumi walk by wearing an expression she rarely ever saw on her sister's face. She quickly went to the door, not even noticing Yugi's confused expression or the blush on his face. She just knew she had to get to her sister as she ran down the hallway in pursuit of her.

"Yumi! Yumi, stop!" she called out, but her sister didn't answer. She slipped into the empty classroom and grabbed her sister's arm when she caught up with her, startling Yumi. "Yumi, what happened? What's wrong? Who did this? Did they upset you?"

"It's nothing, Tsuki. There's nothing to worry about," she said in an attempt to reassure her sister. She had hoped to get some time alone, without her sister noticing her absence, but it seemed that was simply impossible. "I just needed a few minutes to myself, that's all."

"Yumi, you know I'm not going to believe all that nonsense," Tsuki snapped, frustrated by her sister's unwillingness to tell her what was bothering her. "How about telling me what's really going on? Did Kaiba say something to you?"

"Not exactly," Yumi admitted. "We were talking and he just . . . brought back some rather unpleasant memories." Tsuki's eyes darkened. Yumi rarely ever got upset like this. She was beginning to despise Kaiba; he was very good at hurting her sister, and she wasn't even sure how he was able to do it. He didn't even know Yumi, yet he was able to bring back all the painful memories from Yumi's past. He was certainly Yugi's opposite, and she would make him pay for what he was doing to her.

"Which ones?"

"I'd really rather not say," Yumi said, her gaze turning to the window. "Can you go ahead? I just need a few minutes. Don't worry, I'm coming back," she promised, which made Tsuki feel a little better. She knew her sister wouldn't make a promise she had no intention of keeping.

"Alright, Yumi, but if you don't I'll make you regret it," she swore. "After all, you have a duel to win against Kaiba after school today. You can't be the Amunshem if you run away from a challenge."

"Don't worry. I have every intention of defeating Kaiba after school," Yumi swore. Tsuki smiled.

"Good, and, if you win, I'll buy your favorite drink as a reward," she said, winking at her sister.

"I'll hold you to that, little sister," Yumi said, smiling a little. Tsuki waved and went out the door. She knew Yumi would be alright now that she had said those reassuring words to her. Now she could focus on her real target: Seto Kaiba. She made her way back to the classroom contemplating the best way to kill him.

Yumi took a deep breath after Tsuki left the room. She was annoyed Tsuki had followed her like that, but she was grateful to her for making sure she was alright. Despite the fact she hated involving her sister in her problems, she could always count on her to know exactly what to do to make her feel better, especially when it came to matter concerning their mother.

Kaiba didn't know anything about her, despite the fact he had done an extensive background search on her. He knew nothing of what she had gone through, whether it was her mother's sudden departure, her time spent in the Guardian and Tomb Robber circuits, or all the things her sister, father, and so-called 'friends' had put her through. He would never really understand unless she was somehow able to show him. Sure, Kaiba had a difficult childhood, but he wasn't the only one. He needed to look beyond himself for a change. There was far more to life than him, his brother, and his company. She just hoped she would be able to show him all that.

"What the hell did you do to my sister?" Tsuki snapped, her face right in front of Kaiba's. Sure, she probably looked and sounded just like Yumi right now, but she didn't care. All she cared about was finding out what he had done to upset her sister.

"I didn't do anything to your sister. Last I saw, she was going off alone with Yugi."

"I'm Tsuki, you dolt!" she said angrily. "I want to know what you did to Yumi. She was really upset when she walked by me, and she never lets people bother her. What did you do to her?" Kaiba's eyes were flashing dangerously, but she didn't care. Yumi rarely ever got upset or needed help, and Tsuki swore she would be there for her sister whenever she needed her.

"You're right about not being Yumi; you certainly have issues about giving people space," he said coldly. "Besides, why would you assume _I_ did anything to your sister? We merely exchanged words about our upcoming business agreement. Then again, I suppose I _can_ see why you two are sisters: you both like to act like you know everything about everyone."

"You don't know _anything_ about Yumi!" Tsuki said, her temper rising. "If you knew even the first thing about what she's gone through, you wouldn't say anything! You think you've had it so bad just because you were an orphan adopted by a power-hungry madman and had your brother kidnapped by a psycho business partner, but you don't know the first thing about my sister!"

"How do you know all that?" Kaiba snapped, his voice rising sharply. He hadn't mentioned any of that to Yumi, or to anyone else, so he knew they couldn't have gotten that information from Yugi or anyone else they knew. Even _he_ didn't know that about him.

"That's enough, Tsuki," Yumi cut in. Her sister took one look at her before her protest died. Yumi's face was set with determination and she was glaring coldly at Kaiba. "I don't care about your preconceived misconceptions toward me, Kaiba, but you _will_ leave my sister out of them. She does not deserve your scorn and mockery and I will not tolerate _anyone_ hurting my sister."

"Then perhaps you should teach her to shut her mouth about things she doesn't understand," Kaiba said coldly, furious at the way she was addressing him. Yumi laughed humorlessly.

"You don't think I've tried that already? She clearly just got involved in my own personal business, using the information I worked hard to acquire against you."

"How did you get access to that kind of information?" Kaiba asked. He was studying her intently now in an attempt to size her up. She was becoming more threatening by the minute.

"Relax," Yumi said. "I'm not planning on using this information to get anything. I did it to learn more about my opponent. I take duels seriously, and I like to know the reasons why someone duels and what's important to them. I'll tell you everything you want to know after our duel is complete. You have my solemn oath."

Kaiba glared at her, but she remained unfazed. He had to admit that was impressive; most people would be cowering under such a look, especially his employees. Still, he would make her fear him. He would ensure that when he crushed her in their duel. School could not end soon enough for him.

Yumi sat down next to Kaiba, completely calm despite the way he was openly glaring at her. She knew he was only trying to intimidate her, and it wouldn't work. She had been in far worse situations than this and she had still come through. She would prove herself to Kaiba, no matter what it took. She would get the respect she deserved.


	8. Playful Pastimes

**Author's Info:** Wow, I got a lot typed up these past few days. Either I'm spending a lot of time avoiding other things, or I just have more free time than I initially anticipated. Either way, I guess that's a good thing for those of you who are reading this. I know it probably seems like filler, but I promise it will get interesting soon.

**The "what"s:** Listening to background noise and talking to a friend of mine via instant messenger. Thinking about how confusing road trips can be to plan, even if they're to someplace nearby. I'm also thinking about getting myself something to eat, as I'm rather hungry.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, I would spend more time on writing my stories than I do all these others things in my life. Then again, I would actually get paid for all my work with Seto Kaiba and Yugi Mutou. As it stands, I do own Yumi and Tsuki, so I hope you enjoy their story.

_Chapter Eight_

"Tsuki, hurry up!" Yumi snapped as she waited on her sister. "I'd like to stop by home and get changed before heading over!"

"I really don't get why you don't like the uniform, Yumi," Tsuki said disapprovingly. "I think it's cute." Joey and Tristan had to agree with Tsuki; the two sisters really did look cute in the school uniform. Yumi scowled as she looked over at the three of them, and they could tell she knew what they were thinking.

"If you think that I'm going to duel in this ridiculous outfit, you've got another thing coming," she snarled. When she saw Joey and Tristan back away with intimidated expressions, she relented a little. "Okay, how about a deal? I get to change out of the uniform, but I'll wear the dress."

"Really?" Tsuki said, awed and exhilarated. When Yumi nodded, she squealed in delight. "It's about time you finally wore a dress, and you're actually going to wear the one I had gotten you for your birthday!"

"Tsuki, you know I do wear dresses from time to time. Besides, I told you before that I really like that dress, and you know I don't say things just to make you feel better. I just haven't had an opportunity to wear it before now."

"I guess you're right," Tsuki said happily. "Alright, I accept your conditions. Let's go home and change. We'll head to Kaiba Corp. after that."

"You're wasting my time over a uniform and a dress?" Kaiba asked incredulously. He could easily be doing other things with his time right now, and instead he was wasting time waiting on them. These sisters were really working on his last nerve.

"Trust me, Kaiba boy," Tsuki said playfully, "you're in for a real treat. Yumi only ever wears a dress for special occasions, and she's never worn a dress like this before. You _must_ be a pretty big deal if she's willing to make _that_ happen!"

"Tsuki, don't talk nonsense," Yumi warned.. "I am _not_ doing this for Kaiba, not that he would even notice _that_ sort of thing. I'm going to this because I want to _defeat_ him, _not_ flirt with him. I'm wearing the dress for your sake, since you clearly won't shut up."

"Can't blame a girl for hoping," Tsuki said, sighing deeply. "You _need_ a boy, Yumi. Besides, Kaiba seems like the kind of guy who might go for your type."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kaiba asked, annoyed by her insinuation. Just what was this girl trying to do, annoy him to death? Besides, who would want to go out with a girl like Yumi?

"Well, you obviously need a girl, Kaiba, but you're too stubborn and stuck-up to pick the girls who obviously like you. Instead, you would go for the one who presents a serious challenge, one who can not only tell you to your face what they think of you, but who can also be your equal in a battle of wits and expertise. Yumi's just the kind of girl; of course it would mean getting schooled a few times and being denied repeatedly," Tsuki muttered.

"Tsuki, do us all a favor and shut up," Yumi said, thoroughly annoyed by her sister's attempts and manipulations. "There is no way I would date Kaiba, and it's quite obvious he would gladly kill you if you continue on your tyrade. Now be a good little girl, shut your mouth, and start walking."

Kaiba had to admit she was quite good at dealing with people like her sister and the mutt Wheeler. They obviously annoyed her to no end, just as they did him, but she remained calm for the most part. He would have gladly fired someone like that, or at least removed them from his presence. For once, he was actually looking forward to seeing this girl's true skills. Still, her comment about having no desire to be with a guy like him had stung his pride. He had everything anyone could ever want, yet she said she would never date him. He would prove to her he was desirable. He would show her and make her pay for her insolence.

"Hey Yumi, Tsuki, mind if we come along?" Yugi asked. He had watched the entire exchange between Kaiba and the two sisters with mild amusement. He knew this was going to be an interesting afternoon, even more so than yesterday. He couldn't wait to see what Kaiba and Yumi's duel would be like. Besides, he was rather curious about what the big deal was about seeing Yumi in a dress.

"Of course not!" Tsuki said happily. "You're all welcome to come and cheer Yumi on!" Yumi smiled a little at her sister's enthusiasm. Kaiba just scoffed. Yugi, Tea, Tristan, Joey, and Bakura were all looking forward to seeing Yumi's skills, and her dress.

"I guess that settles it," Yumi said, turning to Kaiba. "I'm sorry for the delay, but I think you'll find it worth the wait, even if it has nothing to do with the dress. I promise I'll hurry; I'm just as anxious as you are to begin the duel."

"Then why waste time over some foolish thing like clothes?"

"You want to change too, don't you? At least this way you have plenty of time to change and you can even get your younger brother Mokuba from school. It's a win-win situation."

Kaiba was surprised by how quickly she had responded with that assessment. Perhaps she was sharper than he had given her credit for. At the very least, she was right about giving him time to pick up Mokuba from school; he hadn't done that in some time due to all the work he'd been swamped with.

"Alright, but you better not waste my time," Kaiba warned. He grabbed his briefcase and got ready to leave.

"Don't worry; you're not the only one who hates wasting time. Have fun with Mokuba, and don't be too upset should you lose," she said, a playful smile forming on her lips. Kaiba scowled.

"Just be sure you're ready to do whatever I tell you to when you lose," he said.

"Yes, Master," she said, half-mocking, half-playful in her tone. His scowl only grew, which made her erupt into laughter. Kaiba was surprised by her sense of humor. At least he wouldn't be too annoyed by it. After all, two could play at that game. A smirk formed on his lips. He was going to enjoy this very much. Yumi would have no idea what hit her.


	9. Boastful Banter

**Author's Info:** There very next chapter is the start of Kaiba and Yumi's duel. I'm pretty excited about getting it posted, but I have some other things that have to get done before then. Depending on how everything goes, it might be up before Tuesday. We'll see how all this goes, and please hope that I do well in my endeavors over the next week!

**The "what"s:** Listening to conversation around me at the moment. Earlier I was listening to _Step to Me_ by Thousand Foot Krutch. Thinking about how entertaining it is to watch the people going for the candy bowl at work and wondering how well my poll on everyone's favorite music is going.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, I wouldn't have all the amusement over the candy bowl. Instead, I would have people working for me while I create an interesting storyline. As it stands, I do own the twins, and some other characters I have finally introduced into the written version of my story. Please read and tell me what you think!

_Chapter Nine_

"So, Tsuki, what's the big deal about this dress?" Tea asked as they made their way to the Makoto's home. She couldn't understand why the two were making such a fuss; it was just a dress after all.

"Well, aside from the fact Yumi only wears dresses to dinner parties and fancy events, I had this dress specifically made for my sister. At the time, it was good for nothing more than a Halloween costume, but I knew there would come a day where she would actually _want_ to wear it."

"It's in a style similar to what an Egyptian priestess would have worn five thousand years ago. Of course Tsuki had some things modified, but it's an incredibly beautiful piece nonetheless."

"So why agree to wear it now?" Joey asked, confusion apparent on his face.

"I figured I wouldn't get the chance again if I lost, and I'd hate to know I never wore it. To be honest, I was hoping to save it for when we made our next trip to Egypt, but it's alright. Besides, I highly doubt Kaiba is even going to pay attention, so I don't feel guilty about it. I'm not out to attract attention."

"Why you're perfectly okay with Kaiba _not_ noticing you in this dress, I'll never understand," Tsuki said, sighing deeply as she pulled out a key to the house. She and Yumi walked in, motioning for the others to follow.

"I'm okay with it because I might end up working for him, and I would rather my boss see me for something other than how I look to him. Besides, I'm not sure how I'd react if Kaiba was attracted to me. The idea is incomprehensible."

"Because you just want to believe it's impossible for you to end up liking him, or because you really believe Kaiba has absolutely no interest in women?"

"Or men," Yumi said, a coy smirk on her face. Tsuki burst out laughing at her sister's addition to their little joke. She remembered some comments she had heard from the girls before, and she and Yumi had always laughed about Kaiba's cold and superior attitude. Tsuki was glad her sister wasn't really as cold as everyone thought she was; she would have been miserable in the worry she would feel for her if she had become that way.

"Kaiba's _gay_?" Joey cried out in horror, causing both Yumi and Tsuki to erupt into uncontrollable laughter at his slow comprehension of their hidden joke. Yumi made her way down the hall and slipped into a room, still laughing.

"Joey, I think Yumi and Tsuki were joking," Yugi said. He had to admit the idea of Kaiba being gay was highly amusing, but it was also incredibly frightening. Besides, it wasn't as though it explained his behavior. He knew the sisters were just having a good time joking around. Yumi almost seemed to imply there was an even more egotistical reason.

"So _that's_ the reason she's wearing the dress," Tsuki said, giggling. "Anyway, I guess I'll give you guys the quick tour while we wait. Don't mind all the boxes; we're still getting things unpacked. Here's the living room, the kitchen, the dining room, the bathroom, that's Dad's office, Dad's room, my room, Yumi's room/office, and that over there is our game room/Tsuki's tech lab. Since Yumi won our game yesterday, she decided to make the theme 'Shadow Games.' You'll have to see it once it's finished; Yumi's an amazing designer, and her plans are amazing."

"Showing them around?" they heard Yumi ask from behind them. She was wearing a navy colored dress with bronze trim. The dress went all the way to her feet, and the area around her hips and chest was snug. The rest of the dress was loose, and the sleeves were off the shoulder, with holes cut into the forearm.

"It's as beautiful as I imagined!" Tsuki squealed, hugging her sister tightly in her excitement. She was so happy to see her sister wearing it, and even moreso that her sister liked wearing it.

"You were right about it being comfortable," Yumi admitted, chuckling at her sister's enthusiasm. She laughed even more when she saw the way Joey, Tristan, and Yugi were staring at her. "Get a good look while you can; this is a very rare sight," she said playfully, "but if you try to hit on me or think about doing anything obscene, I'll kill you myself, and not in a fun way. Understand?" Her voice became filled with the promise of fulfilling her threat, which made Tristan and Joey nod and keep their minds clean of any such thoughts.

"Come on, Yumi, you know you shouldn't take it as such a bad thing all the time. Sometimes it's nice to get some male attention."

"I'll keep that in mind next time I have to bail you out of a bad relationship," she said seriously, making Tsuki sigh and hang her head at the memory of those times. She had to admit Yumi was right about having gotten her out of a fair number of bad situations, although she couldn't admit to knowing exactly how she did it.

"Alright, alright, point taken," she admitted. "You do your thing and I'll do mine."

"Good," Yumi said, smirking devilishly, "because I have a duel to win. Now let's go before we make Kaiba have a heart attack or stroke. I want to beat him, not have him die before I even get the chance!" With that, she quickly strapped her deck case on and ran out the door, leaving the others to follow.

***

Kaiba was growing increasingly impatient. Much as he loved his younger brother, he had a duel to win; his brother was no substitute for a duel, not matter how much he cared about him. Besides, this was a duel with high and interesting stakes. After all, he was curious as to just how good this girl was at Duel Monsters. There weren't many who posed much of a challenge to him, but he was sure she would be one of them, as long as she lived up to her reputation.

Of course he would still win, and he would make her do as he said for an entire month, but at least it wouldn't be a complete waste of his time. Mokuba was rather happy about it too, since he was going to be taking a break from work and 'enjoying himself.' If the stupid girl ever decided to show up, that was.

"Mr. Kaiba, a Yumi Makoto is here," he heard his secretary say. "She insists on seeing you, and she says it's important."

"Send her up," he ordered, relieved she finally decided to show up. At least this way he wouldn't be as aggravated when he actually started working later. He also hopefully wouldn't feel the need to fire a few of his employees.

"Sir, there are people with her. Should I have them wait, or should I allow them to go up with her?" his secretary continued hesitantly.

"You better believe we're going up with her!" he heard her annoying sister say. He also heard that mutt Wheeler yelling some nonsense in agreement. He scowled and fought back a growl of annoyance. He should have known the geek squad and her annoying sister would be here too.

"Don't worry," he heard Yumi say into the phone. She had obviously gotten it from his secretary. "I promise I'll take full responsibility for any and all problems caused by my sister and the others." He was intrigued by the proposition, especially since he wasn't sure how she could possibly manage such a thing. Wheeler was known for his big mouth, and her sister clearly wasn't a quiet one, either. "I'll try and get them to keep it down. If not, I'll pay for the medication you need for any and all headaches caused by them out of my own pocket."

"I doubt you would be able to afford them," Kaiba said, a smirk growing on his face. "Not only is the medication expensive, but Wheeler has been known to cause a fair number of headaches."

"Regardless, I will pay for them," she promised. "Despite your penchant for luxury overloads and your 'better than thou' attitude, I won't back down from my promise, even if there truly is no better remedy than you lightening up and procuring a sense of humor. With all that money, you should have no problem."

Kaiba growled at the teasing and sarcastic tone she used as she spoke to him. He would make her regret making a mockery of him, especially in his own company. "Are you going to duel me, or waste my time dabbling with dueling monkeys and loudmouthed cheerleader wannabes?"

"Touchy, Kaiba," she said lazily and calmly, "no need t breath fire. Much as you love dragons, I wouldn't call you one. Just tell me what floor I need to go to and I will gladly proceed there in preparation for our duel."

"Floor twelve," Kaiba snapped. This girl was getting on his nerves. In school, she was quiet and reserved, but he was now beginning to see she could be quite sarcastic when she had a mind. While that was great for insulting morons like Wheeler, it was not something to be used on _him_. He was Seto Kaiba, after all.


	10. Daring Decisions

**Author's Info:** Here's chapter ten of _Sando No Jigoku_! Thanks to those of you who are reading this, and special thanks to for the review. I'm really glad the characters are staying true to form. If they get too OOC, let me know. I want them to stay as true as possible (they're the reason we're writing these stories, after all). Now, on to the first part of the duel with Kaiba!

**The "what"s:** Listening to a mix of alternative and rock songs that always serve for inspiration. Recently finished _Interview With a Vampire_ for the second time and about to start reading _The Vampire Lestat_ again. Thank one of my friends who bought me the leather-bound version.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, hence my desire to remain as true to their original counterparts as possible. If I wrote Yu-Gi-Oh, I wouldn't have to worry about anything more than losing a few readers.

**Extra Note:** I do not play the card game. I had to do a lot of research to find real cards that would work with Yumi's deck, and I don't know if I completely follow the rules. Bear with me, as I probably won't be making changes to adapt properly.

_Chapter Ten_

"Yumi, are you sure you should have provoked Kaiba like that?" Yugi said. He was worried his friend might ruin her chances at getting a job at Kaiba Corp., or anywhere else for that matter. Just because it amused Joey, and even him, to hear someone stand up to Kaiba like that, didn't mean she should ruin her chance to get a job she really wanted.

"I'm not worried," Yumi said honestly. When she saw Yugi's shocked expression, she smiled. "Kaiba and I made a deal, and neither I nor Kaiba would dishonor that deal. Businessmen ruin their reputations with things like that. Besides, I wanted to see if I could get under his skin, get him emotionally involved in the duel. I get a better sense of who Kaiba really is that way."

"I actually thought it was kinda cute, hearing Yumi talk to Kaiba like that. It sounded like she was almost flirting with him," Tsuki said, giggling at the thought. She didn't mind that her sister was glaring at her furiously or that the others were looking at her in amazement and horror. She just knew that, for once, she actually _wanted_ her sister to get the job. Maybe then she'd finally realize that she'd met her match: the one man who could not only meet her blow for blow, but who could also win over her trust and maybe even her love.

"Tsuki, I really think you should turn your voice on silent from this point on. I really don't want to have to blow all my money on expensive pills that probably aren't any more effective than the ones I use. In fact, they're probably _less_ effective," she amended.

"Considering you have your own medication," Tsuki said. Yumi sighed and looked at her sister in exasperation. "That's what you get for working all those hours instead of having a life."

"No, it's what I get for having you as a sister," she teased, laughing at the mock hurt on her sister's face. She stepped through the now-open doors still smiling and chuckling at the exchange. That smile didn't fade even when her eyes met Kaiba's and she made her way to the platform.

"Do you think Yumi's ready to take on a guy of Kaiba's caliber?" Tea asked, looking at Tsuki worriedly. "I mean, I know you said she's good, but she hadn't dueled in a tournament in years. Kaiba's really tough, even if she had been in the circuits."

"Don't worry so much, Tea!" Tsuki said. "I'm sure my sister has what it takes to beat Kaiba. After all, she is the Pharaoh's Guardian, which means she's defended the championship title against both the Tomb Robber _and_ the Guardian circuits. No one has ever held both circuits for more than a year before my sister. This is _way_ more difficult than any circuit you'll ever see on television, so I'd say tournament expertise isn't a problem."

"We'll just have to believe Yumi can beat Kaiba," Yugi said. He noticed Tsuki didn't seem worried about her sister's abilities. "After all, I'm sure Tsuki knows all about what she does in the circuit, and she seems more than confident in her abilities. I see no reason why we shouldn't believe Yumi can win." He smiled to Tsuki, who had suddenly gone quiet, which concerned him.

"Actually, I haven't seen Yumi duel in a long time. I just hear about her duels from some of our mutual friends. She refuses to let any of us watch her while she duels in the circuit. We've learned not to ask her anymore. She's always quiet and grim, and sometimes she'll get sick without warning when they start having tournaments. My guess is that there's more at stake in those circuits than just losing a duel, but I don't know what happens."

"Tsuki, that's more than enough of your conspiracy theories about the Tomb Robbers and the Guardians. I duel, that's all. There are just a lot of things to plan out, and I don't get much sleep. I do have a title to defend, after all." Yumi's voice was sharp and commanding as she ordered her sister's silence. She knew she was only concerned, but she didn't want her sister, or the others for that matter, to know what really happened when you played the high-stakes games.

Yugi could tell, somehow, that Yumi was lying about the explanation of her illnesses. He wondered if she was playing the same kind of high-stakes game he had played against Yami Bakura and Maximillian Pegasus. If she was, he could understand her not wanting her family to know, but he couldn't understand why she would want to continue to play in such dangerous circuits. He would have to wait until a later time to ask questions, however, because it was clear Yumi had no intention of explaining anything more. She was glaring at Kaiba, more than ready to prove her worth.

"Now that you're finished with all this stupid talk about dangerous games, how about getting started with our duel?" Kaiba asked, only growing increasingly annoyed by all the vague and foolish talk of Yumi being involved in some sort of dangerous gaming ring. From now on, the only thing she would be worrying about would be whatever his latest wish and desire happened to be.

"Careful, Kaiba," she said lazily, "wouldn't want that pretty brown hair of yours turning grey early, do you? After all, I'm pretty sure a teenage CEO with grey hair wouldn't look very good, no matter how skilled a businessman you may be." Yumi's smug expression only grew as she noticed the anger in Kaiba's eyes. Her plan to get under his skin was working better than even she thought possible, given Kaiba's ever-icy exterior.

"Here," Kaiba growled, tossing her one of his prototype duel disks. "We'll duel using my latest technology. Think you can handle it?" He was sneering as he noticed her inspecting it in curiosity.

"Interesting," she mused as she continued to study it. "It's a type of portable holographic dueling apparatus. I'd heard you'd begun developing this so-called 'duel disk,' but I wasn't sure how far along the technology was. This must be the first time this particular version is being used. I guess we'll see how this holds up to what I'm used to." She smirked as she continued, causing Kaiba to scowl.

"What's that supposed to mean? There's no way you have more advanced technology than my brother! Seto's leading the gaming industry by years; there's no way you could have anything close to his technology!"

Yumi looked over at the black-haired, grey-eyed boy who had suddenly cried out in protest. She studied him for a moment and smiled gently. "Forgive me. You must be Mokuba Kaiba, younger brother of Seto Kaiba. My name is Yumi Makoto. As for my technology and what I'm used to, I'm afraid it's not something that can be compared outright to your brother's technology. What I'm accustomed to can only be understood by experiencing it for yourself."

"Then why make such a comment in the first place?" Kaiba asked coldly. He wasn't sure if she was just incredibly stupid, or if she was boasting of her skill. All he knew for certain was that it was time to put her in her place. "If you're so sure of your skill, stop bragging about it and prove it in the duel."

"My pleasure," she said, bowing deeply before placing the duel disk onto her wrist. She watched as it latched on firmly with avid delight. She was going to enjoy working with Kaiba thoroughly, even if it meant spending all her time next to a walking iceberg. She slid her deck into the slot and ejected the holographic projectors, pleased when they set themselves up without problems. She looked over to see Kaiba had done the same.

"Ladies first," he said mockingly. He was curious about what her opening move would be, not that it would matter in the long run. Despite her obvious knowledge of gaming, and her supposed skills at other games, this was not a game he was known for losing. In fact, he was already planning to amend the fact anyone had ever managed to defeat him.

"Alright, then, let the lady show the gracious gentleman how this game is _really_ played," she said, her voice teasing yet somehow completely serious. She drew a card and looked at her hand with a grim determination. While there wasn't anything she could use toward her ultimate strategy, she knew there were more than enough strategies in her deck she could use in the meantime. "I play Arcane Apprentice in attack mode, and I lay two cards face down. That concludes my turn."

"Fine. I play Vorce Raider in attack mode. Vorce Raider, attack her Arcane Apprentice!" Kaiba smirked as he watched his creature go in for the kill, but frowned when he saw the smirk on Yumi's face.

"I activate my face-down card, Stop Attack!" With that, Kaiba's Vorce Raider immediately halted his attack and returned to his side of the field. Kaiba growled at the failure of his attack. "What will you do now, Kaiba?"

"I end my turn," he said, knowing there wasn't much he could do. After all, he couldn't touch that pathetic little monster thanks to the effect of Stop Attack.

Yumi smirked as she drew her next card. She knew that Vorce Raider was one of Kaiba's favorite opening monsters, and she was more than ready to counter it. "I play Maiden of Macabre in attack mode! Maiden, wipe out his Vorce Raider!" She watched as her scythed creature sliced his beast in half, adding two hundred attack points to her Maiden. "With that, I end my turn."


	11. Comparing Contrasts

**Author's Info:** Two updates in one day is pretty good, all things considered. I hope you guys like it. I'll see if I have another chapter for Destinies of the Divine Descendants or not, but that may start slowing down. I'm re-watching the Millennium arc for inspiration, and I am going to do my best to stay caught up, but things are going to start getting mad about a week from now, so please forgive me if it takes me a little while. Thanks to and all of you who have favorited/read/commented on my stories.

**The "what"s:** Listening to the album _Love_ by The Juliana Theory and started reading _The Vampire Lestat_ by Anne Rice. I've been thinking about possibly looking over all my stories and deciding on a rank order of importance. I've been neglecting my real story as of late (yes I am actually writing my own story), and I'm feeling it. I miss being in the world of these characters. If any of you are interested in reading it, message me.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, I wouldn't ever be able to work on my real project, and Shawn would never be the awesome vampire he has become. I would be devoting far more time to all these Yu-Gi-Oh arcs. As it stands, I do own Tsuki and Yumi. Please tell me what you think.

_Chapter Eleven_

Kaiba had to admit she knew what she was doing, but not attacking his life points would prove to be her undoing. He was only getting started, and he hadn't even begun to show her what he was capable of. He drew a card and smirked, saying, "I play Battle Ox in attack mode. Battle Ox, attack her Arcane Apprentice now!"

"Same trick, Kaiba? I thought you would have figured out by now that won't work against me. Go, Attack Guidance Armor! Redirect the attack to Maiden of Macabre!" She watched as the armor attached itself to her Maiden and Battle Ox changed direction only to have her Maiden slice him in half and gain another two hundred attack points.

"Wow, Yumi really is good," Tristan said, eyes wide as he watched her. "She diverted both of Kaiba's attacks and wasn't even fazed. She knew he was going to target her weaker monster and easily stopped and destroyed both of his monsters."

"I told you, Yumi's the best duelist I've ever seen," Tsuki said seriously. "She never could have defeated all those people in the Tomb Robber and Guardian circuits otherwise. She's always getting challenged, especially by the Tomb Robbers, since she's the Guardian's top duelist. I've never heard of her backing down from a challenge, either."

"You mean she's won every duel against every challenger for over three years?" Joey asked incredulously. "That's impossible! Even Yugi has admitted to losing a few duels before. There's no way she's gone completely undefeated."

"I never said I haven't lost a duel in the past three years," Yumi said seriously as she watched Kaiba play a card face down. "I just haven't lost any duels that were important or related to the circuits. After I, I lost that Senet match to my brain-dead sister, didn't I?"

"Hey! I'm _not_ brain dead; I'm fully functional!" Tsuki cried out indignantly. Much as she loved her sister, she still hated how easily she won games and created new things with technology. It seemed like her sister had been given all the talents, while she was given all the personality.

"You're right," Yumi agreed, smiling a little at her sister. "Still, if you think I'm so wonderful at everything I do that I get everything I want, you're either incredibly daft, or you have a few screws loose. Everything I have I've worked hard to attain; harder than you'll ever know., and everything I don't have I either have farther yet to go or cannot hope to attain on my own."

"And what kind of things would that be?" Kaiba asked. He noticed Yumi regarded him seriously for a moment before looking down at the card she had drawn. He had to admit this was more enjoyable than the afternoon of interviews and meetings he had originally scheduled. She knew how to combine the cards, and her tactics were well planned, but he would ultimately prove the victor.

"I guess a relevant example would be my sister's wish for me to find a boyfriend. I haven't met anyone worth considering a potential partner; they are either foolish, creepy, or nothing more than acquaintances and friends. Tsuki wasn't far off when she told my friends in Tokyo I had a stalker, though," she admitted, amusement and annoyance coloring her tone. "He's the second highest among the Tomb Robbers, and he's known as the Prince of Thieves. At first, he dueled against me for the usual high stakes game: if I lost, I would lose something precious to me. That is the typical scenario, and I'm allowed to do the same if I so choose. I most always forego the option, especially when I'm in a foul mood; I can be quite cruel when I allow myself the choice. Needless to say I defeated him, quite mercilessly, as far as I was concerned. Ever since then, he's come to challenge me twice a year, the maximum any member of either circuit is allowed. The only difference is that now, if I lose, I am required to go on a date with him."

"Yumi's always annoyed when he comes," Tsuki said, giggling. "He's the only guy out of the circuits anywhere near our age that I regularly see. Most people in the circuit I don't know, or haven't been told they're in it. He's obsessed with beating her now. It's kind of cute to see how much he likes her, but Yumi's too stubborn to give him a chance. Too bad he's a Tomb Robber; maybe she'd be more likely to notice him if he were a fellow Guardian. He's a really good duelist, but nowhere near good enough to defeat my sister."

"Hopefully now I'll get a brief respite from dueling anyone from either circuit. I'd much rather work on my project, not think about who's coming after my head this time," she said teasingly, although somehow Yugi knew she wasn't really joking about it. It sounded like these people were completely serious about their duels, and that their antes were much higher than just losing a title and a few cards. It made him wonder why she had agreed to duel in such circuits at all. Surely she had some idea of the dangers before getting involved.

"I thought you wanted to duel people who were actually worth your time," Kaiba said sarcastically. "If they're as good as you say, then why not keep dueling against them? Unless, that is, you're afraid." He smirked at the thought of her backing away in fear only to see she held his gaze seriously, a frown set deep into her facial expression.

"Trust me, Kaiba, while it's nice to play against skilled duelists, there are other places to find them. Look at Yugi; you wouldn't have ever expected him to be such an amazing player if you hadn't dueled against him or watched some of his duels at Duelist Kingdom. Now he's the King of Games. As for me, I just wanted to get away from the circuits for a little while. Even the best duelist should handle high-stakes games seriously, and one gets very tired after a rather lengthy series of them. Some no doubt already have some idea of my location, but they're either waiting or they're not interested in dueling at the moment. Not everyone who runs through these circuits is looking at me. There are other, greater threats to them, of which I'm merely a pawn, albeit a stronger one. I would be likened to a knight in the game of chess: something powerful and hard to predict, but capable of losing to the lowest of pawns if played correctly by its respective master."

"That only proves that you're weak," Kaiba scoffed. "If you were truly that great, you wouldn't lose to a low-level pawn."

"Then tell me you've never sacrificed a knight, bishop, rook, or even queen for the sake of winning a game of chess. Tell me that they were never taken by a pawn you had lured into a trap."

"You're calling yourself a sacrifice now?" Kaiba asked incredulously. "Where do you get all this nonsense? You're worse than Yugi and all his friendship speeches."

"I'm not so noble as to say it's a sacrifice for someone or some cause, but I do have my own things to protect. If I fail to protect what actually matters in my life, it _should_ get taken away. That's why I try to defend what's important to me, even if it means putting myself at risk. It's the only way to ensure I don't lose."

"Right, and we all know how well _that_ goes," Kaiba said, scoffing at her explanation.

"Yes indeed. It gets people adopted along with their siblings when they have nowhere else to go. It gets people a company from the hands of a greedy and ruthless tyrant. It gets people to turn a company form the largest weapons dealer in the world to the most successful gaming corporation in existence," she said wryly, making Kaiba's scowl deepen.

"How do you know all that?" Kaiba snapped. He was not sure how she had gotten all that information, but he wasn't going to ensure this any longer.

"Word goes 'round the water cooler, Kaiba," she said mysteriously and teasingly before becoming serious once again. "Kaiba, if I didn't know as much about you and your company as I do, I wouldn't have made getting a job with your company my victory prize. I take this very seriously, despite what you think. Speaking of victory, I sacrifice my Arcane Apprentice and my Maiden of Macabre to summon Arcanite Magician. I also pull this trap card from my deck thanks to the effect of my Arcane Apprentice." With that, she held up the card Assault Mode Activate and placed it in her hand. "Your move, Kaiba."

Kaiba smirked. He had to give her credit for managing to summon monsters with dual purposes, but she still wasn't going to defeat his most powerful monster.


	12. Breaking Barriers

**Author's Info:** Holy crap, three chapters in less than twenty-four hours. This is definitely new for me. Then again, I really like the duel between Kaiba and Yumi. Life decided to be kind, I guess, or maybe it's just giving me time now so I can suffer next week. Either way I'll put out at least one more chapter of _Destinies of the Divine Descendants_ before then. No guarantees of updates next week, and I may work on my real story during my vacation, but I'll try to post an update on here from what I have written already.

**The "what"s:** Listening to_ Blood (Empty Promises)_ by Papa Roach and _Step to Me_ by Thousand Foot Krutch. Thinking about the fact I stay up really late at night and looking forward to reading more of _The Vampire Lestat_ before calling it good today.

**Disclaimer:** Much as I love the characters of Yu-Gi-Oh, I don't own them, or any other aspect of Yu-Gi-Oh. I only own Tsuki and Yumi at this point in the story. Hope you enjoy the continuation!

_Chapter Twelve_

"I wonder if you're really up to the task, Kaiba," she mused. "Much as you say you're going to defeat me, I have yet to see anything that would suggest it's true." She was taunting him, even though she knew it was dangerous to taunt a man with his kind of power. She knew he could ruin her chances of getting any sort of job if she lost, and she also knew he could make her life hell even if she won, but for once she didn't care at the moment. Right then, all she cared about was trying to see into who the real Seto Kaiba was.

"I play Saggi the Dark Clown in attack mode and place two cards face down," he said, a smirk coming onto his face. He was daring her to try and stop his plan from succeeding. She would fall for it, one way or another. "Saggi, attack her Arcanite Magician!"

"Arcanite Magician, use our special ability and destroy one of his face down cards!" Yumi said, watching as the middle card was revealed to be Ring of Destruction and destroyed. She growled in aggravation, but allowed Saggi to attack, taking out six hundred more life points from Kaiba and putting him at three thousand, two hundred life points.

"It looks like you've just activated my Crush Card Virus," Kaiba said, smirking triumphantly. "Now you're going to lose all your remotely powerful monsters."

"I don't think so, Kaiba," she said with a smirk. "I remove the second spell counter on my Arcanite Magician to destroy your Crush Card Virus. Say goodbye to your little friend." She heard no counter as the card was destroyed, which made her frown. Kaiba loved that combination, and he hated it when his strategies were thwarted. Why didn't he then react, unless . . .

"Looks like you fell into my trap," Kaiba said with a smirk. "I use Monster Reborn to bring back my Vorce Raider and, now that your monster is weak, Vorce Raider, attack her Arcanite Magician—"

"Hold on, Kaiba! I activate the trap card, Assault Mode Activate! Now my Arcanite Magician changes to Assault Mode form and gains two spell counters, giving it a grand total of 2900 attack points!" Kaiba glared as he watched his Vorce Raider get destroyed a second time, dropping his life points to two thousand, two hundred. He hadn't expected her to be ready for such an attack, yet she had not only fended him off, she had also managed to take away a thousand life points. In the end, however, he _would_ win this duel; he was Seto Kaiba, and Seto Kaiba does not lose.

"Big brother!" Yumi heard Mokuba say in disbelief. She looked over at him to see him staring at his brother, worry and concern in his eyes. He clearly wasn't used to seeing Kaiba fall so far behind; Yumi still had all four thousand life points, after all. She could tell Kaiba wasn't used to it, either. She just hoped he would present a challenge soon, otherwise there wouldn't be much she could do to salvage the duel.

She drew her card and stared at it. She knew this card would come in handy, if only she would be able to summon it. "I place one card face down and summon Magician's Valkyrian in attack mode. Valkyria, attack him directly!" She watched as Kaiba's life points dropped to five hundred and wondered if he would ever be able to turn this duel around. "I end my turn."

"Why didn't she just finish him off? She could've won the duel!" Joey said. "Why give Rich Boy the chance to turn all this around?"

"Because it wouldn't mean anything to Yumi if she won thanks to a strategy like that. She wants to defeat Kaiba when he's strongest, not when he's already down for the count. Yumi believes in honoring and respecting her opponents, especially an opponent she feels is worth her time and effort."

"Besides, what fun is there in absolutely wasting an opponent who can't even fight back?" Yumi asked. "I came here for a duel because I wanted to be taken seriously. I can't do that if I merely pick off his weaker monsters and whittle away his life points. At the same time, I won't just give him a free chance to summon his strongest monsters. I don't believe in pity chances; he needs to find a way on his own."

Kaiba noticed how serious she was about wanting to duel him at his best and couldn't help but feel drawn to her. He actually _wanted_ to go all out on her and unleash his strongest creatures, and he was more relieved and surprised by the vow she wouldn't simply allow him to summon his strongest monsters. He hadn't gotten where he was now by having everything handed to him through pity, and he wouldn't start now. He had earned all of this, and that was how he would win.

Yugi smiled to Yumi, understanding her need to prove herself as a duelist. After all, this was a game where the best were well known, and it was difficult to play and go completely unnoticed. Still, he believed she would win, even after Kaiba brought out his best creature: the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

Kaiba drew a card and smirked. It had been exactly what he had needed to turn this duel around. "I play Maho Vilo in attack mode. Next, I play White Dragon Ritual to summon Paladin of White Dragon and, with its special ability, I sacrifice my Paladin to summon the almighty Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

Yumi smiled as she watched his favorite monster materialize. She seemed completely unfazed by the strength of the monster even as he ordered its attack and Magician's Valkyrian was destroyed in a flash of blinding white light. Her life points dropped to two thousand, seven hundred, but she never once seemed to care. If anything, she knew things were finally starting to get interesting.

"Yeah! Go Seto!" Mokuba said, cheering loudly. Yumi couldn't help but laugh when she saw his enthusiastic reaction. "What's so funny?" Mokuba asked, clearly annoyed. She noticed Kaiba didn't seem pleased with her laughter either.

"I'm sorry, but I just find it very sweet that your little brother is so supportive of you. It kind of reminded me of when Tsuki and I were younger. She used to cheer for me like that, too." Her expression slowly changed from amusement to dejection. "That was before many things began changing."

Tsuki immediately knew where her sister's thoughts had gone. She glared when she looked at Kaiba; she knew it was because of him these memories were resurfacing and she hated anyone who made her think about those depressing memories. Yumi was going through enough in her life without having to be constantly tormented by reminders of the past.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kaiba snapped. He was not in the mood for all these trips down memory lane. He was here to duel. All this talk of the past was a waste of his time.

"Leave my sister alone, you ass," Tsuki snapped, uncharacteristically angry. "Yumi's gone through things you couldn't even begin to imagine, and she's still a better person than you are. I don't care what kind of childhood you had; that's no excuse to treat my sister like some pathetic lowlife. In fact, I'd say the only barbarian here is _you_."

"That's enough, Tsuki. Kaiba is obviously not interested in anything that doesn't concern him, his brother, or his company. I wouldn't expect someone like him to really understand anyway, so why bother him with something he couldn't be bothered to care about?" She drew her card and sighed. "I play one monster face down in defense mode.

"That's all, one wimpy card?" Kaiba scoffed. Now that he had one of his best monsters, he was in control. He wasn't concerned about his monsters, especially since hers were so weak. "I play one card face down and attack with Blue Eyes!"

"Thanks, Kaiba," she said as her Crystal Seer was flipped over, allowing her to draw the top two cards from her deck. She placed one in her hand and sent Maho Vilo to the bottom of her deck. "Now, I activate Arcanite Magician's special effect! Thanks to that, all your monsters, spells, and traps are gone." She watched as his face down and his Blue Eyes were destroyed and her Magician's attack points dropped to nine hundred. "So much for your Blue Eyes."

"I play one card face down and end my turn," Kaiba growled. He couldn't believe she had just destroyed his Blue Eyes. She would pay for that dearly. No one got away with disrespecting his Blue Eyes White Dragon.


	13. Enraged Engagement

**Author's Info:** I was incredibly surprised by the response I got in less than twenty-four hours. I really can't thank you guys enough for all the support. I got more messages today than I 'd gotten in two weeks prior to this. I decided I'd take some time to churn out one more chapter of this as a thank you. I really want to thank **alynnr**, **ember-chan**, and for their messages and comments. I'm glad you like Tsuki and Yumi so much, and I'm glad the duel isn't boring and completely lacking in substance. This really spurs me to do more with the story.

**The "what"s:** Not listening to anything at the moment. It's really quiet today. I've been thinking about how awesome it is that you guys are reading my story and how my weekend has been very laid back. I talked to a ton of my friends today, and I feel very accomplished. I'm thinking about listening to _Desert Rose_ by Sting and maybe a few Thousand Foot Krutch songs.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, I probably would be incredibly motivated to put out a lot of stuff about the characters. As it stands, I do feel motivated to write this fanfiction, especially since you all like Tsuki and Yumi.

_Chapter Thirteen_

"She took out Kaiba's Blue Eyes without even flinching!" Tea said, shocked at how easily she could stare at Kaiba's favorite monster and not flinch. Yugi had always had a hard time destroying Kaiba's Blue Eyes, but she managed it effortlessly. That's when a thought struck her. "Wait a minute. Does that mean she could've destroyed his Blue Eyes without losing life points?"

"Yes, but it would've left her much more vulnerable to his next attack. Yumi's Crystal Seer only has one hundred attack and defense points, and now her Magician is down to nine hundred attack points. They would have been easy targets. She probably has a reason for keeping her Crystal Seer if she was willing to weaken her Magician. We'll see soon enough; it's her draw."

Yumi drew her card and looked at it thoughtfully. "I play Gemini Summoner in attack mode! I'll also set one card face down and switch my Magician to defense mode. With that, I end my turn."

Yugi wondered what her plan was. He was sure there was something involving her Seer, but the way she played made it difficult to see which direction she would take the duel. She was incorporating something entirely different than what he had initially thought her strategy would be.

"Yumi's really going to make him squirm," Tsuki said, a note of glee in her tone. "This is the first time she's played with an opponent other than me in a long time. I have to admit it's good seeing her enjoy a duel again. She hasn't dueled for fun in months, and our trip to Egypt isn't for another four months. She needed to let out some steam."

"This is Yumi toying with him?" Joey said, shocked. "I'd hate to duel against Yumi when she's completely serious! She would probably try to crush me." His nervous expression made the sisters laugh.

"Don't worry, Joey. I highly doubt you'll ever make me that mad," she said, smiling. She also had to laugh at Kaiba's outraged face. "Relax, Kaiba. We are playing a game, after all. The stakes aren't anything major and the people we care about are cheering us on. I don't know about you, but it's been a long time since I've been able to do anything like this for a friendly wager. Why not sit back and enjoy yourself?"

"Since when is our agreement a 'friendly little wager'?" he asked coldly. "I don't seem to recall a job offer or doing whatever I want for a month as 'light,' and I certainly don't find it amusing that you're toying with me. I have better things to do than play your stupid games."

"Oh please," she said, rolling her eyes. "Like I was the only one playing games, Kaiba. You were too, until I took out your Blue Eyes White Dragon. Besides, it's a friendly wager because it's beneficial to you either way: either you get a skilled employee who is easily contacted and already knows what she's doing without training, or you get someone to boss around as you please for an entire month. For me, I get some serious stress relief, a non-circuit duelist as an opponent, and a potential job. Annoying you and proving you have no right to treat me like dirt is just an added bonus."

Kaiba scowled. For someone who wanted a job from him as badly as she claimed, she sure knew how to aggravate him. Still, he had to admit her résumé was impressive, at least what he'd read. That didn't excuse her for making a mockery of him, though. No one got away with making him look bad, no matter how good of a duelist she may be. He drew his card and smirked. She would not be able to stop him _this_ time, much as she may try. "I play Monster Reborn and revive my Blue Eyes White Dragon. I also play the card Lord of Dragons in attack mode."

Yumi sighed as she watched Kaiba look at her smugly. She already knew what was coming next. She hadn't needed to continually strengthen her deck or study his duels; Kaiba rarely ever seemed to deviate from his strategies. She guessed that, since he hadn't lost many duels, he had never felt the need to develop more strategies. She, on the other hand, was not so foolish; she needed to change her tactics if she was to remain on top.

"I now play the magic card Flute of Summoning Dragon! With it, I can call two more Blue Eyes onto the field!" He was smirking as he looked at her. He was going to defeat her for sure now. Even if she had found a way to defeat one Blue Eyes, she would not be able to defeat all three. He was going to show her resistance was pointless. "Blue Eyes, attack her Magician!"

"Thanks, Kaiba," she said with a smirk as her original Arcanite Magician appeared on the field. "I was beginning to think I would have to send him into battle as a sacrifice. Now I won't have to worry."

"Make your move," Kaiba growled. He hadn't anticipated that special effect. There wasn't anything he could do about it now, though. He would have to end his turn and let her do whatever pointless move she could come up with.

"First," she said after drawing her card, "I sacrifice my Crystal Seer and my Gemini Summoner to summon Ice Master in attack mode! Now I'll use its special effect to—"

"Hold on, any and all effects are restricted to my Lord of Dragons—"

"Which is why I'm removing him with my Arcanite Magician's special ability," she said, watching as his Lord was destroyed and her monster's attack points dropped. "I'll then put an ice counter on one of your Blue Eyes, place one card face down, and end my turn."

"What kind of move is that?" Kaiba asked, scowling. She was always making strange moves, yet somehow those moves were able to counter him. From his Crush Card Virus to his first Blue Eyes, she was always ready with some strange card, even if she hadn't known what card he would play.

"You'll see," she said, laughing a little. Kaiba was highly amusing. His overconfidence and unwillingness to admit there was anyone on his level made the looks of shock when she thwarted him all the more entertaining.

"And what is so funny?" Kaiba snapped, drawing his card. She was really starting to grate on his nerves. Everything about her was getting to him. She was far too confident, believing she could defeat him in this duel, and her skills probably weren't anywhere near as good as she claimed. She just got lucky with her cards. He would check her references tonight to see if she was anywhere near as good as she claimed. In the meantime, he was going to shatter her cocky attitude.

"You're underestimating me again," she said, smirking, "and that's a really bad thing to do. You end up leaving yourself open, and I will use every opening you have. Trust me, Kaiba; I'm an opponent to take seriously." She had gone from smirking to frowning as she spoke, and her face was completely serious. It shocked Kaiba to see the sudden change in emotions.

"Are you bipolar or something?" he growled. "First you're laughing, and then you're completely serious. What's the matter with you?" He looked at his cards and smirked. She wasn't going to walk away from this one without taking damage. "Blue Eyes, attack her Magician!"

"I activate the Magician's special effect!" she said, watching him coolly. He wasn't going to learn if he didn't start to take her seriously.

"I play Negate Attack!" Kaiba said, growling. He wasn't in the mood to lose his Blue Eyes again. He only had one more Monster Reborn in his deck, after all. "I also set two cards face down. Your move."

She drew and smiled a little. She knew she's been lucky this time around, but she would have to be very careful if she expected to get through this. Still, her monsters had never let her down before. "I now sacrifice my Ice Master and my Arcanite Magician to bring forth the Dark Magician!" She smiled as one of her favorite monsters appeared.


	14. Failing Families

**Author's Info:** Middle of the week, and I really feel lazy today. All the more reason for me to put out another chapter, right? I just want to say thanks to **ember-chan** and **soulcandie **for the support, as well of all the others of you who are reading this. I'm trying to get out as much as I can before next week, and I'll hopefully have more the week after that.

**The "what"s:** Not listening to anything at the moment, but I've been listening to _Why Won't You Die_ and _Chop Suey_ by System of a Down. The first reminds me of the movie Queen of the Damned, which I want to watch again. I am reading _The Vampire Lestat_ after all. I've been thinking about my book lately, and I've been adding to that a lot more. Hopefully soon I'll reach my favorite part.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Cool as that would be, I don't have that kind of artistic talent. I just stick with my books, and with writing stories and poetry. Words are my pictures. I'm jut glad you guys like Yumi and Tsuki so much. Enjoy more of the duel.

_Chapter Fourteen_

"Woah, Yug, she has the Dark Magician too!" Joey said, startled by this turn of events. He was also startled when he saw one of Kaiba's Blue Eyes freeze over and shatter. "How'd that happen?" he cried out.

"It's one of my sister's favorite tactics. She waits until her opponent summons his strongest monster before summoning her Ice Master. Then, she uses magic or trap cards, or the effect of a monster such as Arcanite Magician, to keep him around so she can place ice counters on his monsters. Finally, she tributes her Ice Master and the monsters with the counters on them are destroyed." Tsuki was quite impressed with how her sister was playing against Kaiba. She definitely knew how to take this seriously. Kaiba was a tough opponent, and she was sure that, despite her sister's calm appearance, she was working very hard to find a way to stay in control.

"I place two cards face down, and that will conclude my turn," Yumi said, looking over at her sister and smiling. "Good to know you actually pay attention to those duels I have in front of you. I was beginning to think you didn't pay attention."

"Of course I noticed," Tsuki said, mock offended. "Somebody's going to have to defeat you _someday_, Yumi, and I'm willing to bet it will be the guy you fall in love with. If that's the case, I'm going to give him my help. He'll need it, if he's going to be able to read your mind."

"That's great, Tsuki," Yumi said, rolling her eyes, "and I'm sure that he's going to listen to absolutely every word that spouts from your mouth _and_ manage to find a way to counter _every_ strategy within my deck. Tsuki, even I don't listen to every word you spout off. How do you expect some random person we don't even know to listen to your nonsensical drabble?"

"Well excuse me for having hope for my sister's love and social life yet!" she snapped. Yumi could be so _frustrating_! "Besides, who's to say it's a total and complete stranger? You might already know the guy; he might even be in this very room!"

"Not bloody likely," Yumi said, snorting in disbelief. "Just because _you_ might end up with one of the guys in this room doesn't mean I will! I highly doubt there's anyone in this room who can handle me at my best, let alone after a few days in the office."

"That's exactly why you need a social life, _not_ another job. You spend _way_ too much time working on your stupid projects and your games," Tsuki growled. She grew even more irritated when her sister started laughing. "I don't see what's so funny about being a workaholic, Yumi!"

"I am not as much of a workaholic as you claim, Tsuki," Yumi replied calmly. "I come home, spend time with the family, I play games with my friends, I put up with all your annoying ex-boyfriends." She grimaced at the thought of some of her sister's exes. They were still dark memories she did not care to remember. "I also only spend what money I make from my own job, so you get to use Dad's money to your heart's content. You should not be complaining."

"Yeah because staying up all hours at night, pulling early mornings, locking yourself up in that room from the time you get home to the time you go to sleep, staying late at the office, and only ever not thinking about work when we're in Egypt, where you're doing even _more_ work, is completely normal and healthy," Tsuki replied sarcastically.

"You're exaggerating," Yumi said crossly. "I'm not that—"

"_Please_," Tsuki snapped, "you're _obsessed_ with the work you do. Working with another teenage workaholic like Kaiba is only going to make it even worse! Then again," she mused, her thoughts changing as a sudden idea struck her and she looked at the two slyly, "maybe working together is _exactly_ what the two of you need."

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?" Yumi snapped, not liking the change in her sister's tone. She noticed Kaiba was also staring at her sister, and she only hoped Tsuki wasn't about to say what she thought she was.

"Think about it," Tsuki said, looking from one to the other impishly. "You and Kaiba pouring late hours into the office, spending all that time together, getting to know each other rather intimately. You decide you need a little break from staring at your computer screens and decide to look at a different type of schematic . . ." She trailed off, letting the suggestive tone of her last words hang in the air. She was smirking.

"Tsuki, you are one of the stupidest, most single-minded, most annoying people I have ever been unfortunate enough to meet," Yumi snapped, thoroughly annoyed by her sister's shameless antics. "I would _never_ do that and you know it. Besides, who in their right mind with any ounce of self-respect would want to shack up with _Kaiba_?"

Kaiba was thoroughly insulted and angered by this point. She, he was furious at the insinuation by her sister, but what really got under his skin was Yumi's comments that no one would want him, or that those who did had something seriously wrong with them. He would prove to her Seto Kaiba was not a man to be messed with.

He drew his card and smirked. She was really going to rely on such a pathetic monster? He'd easily destroyed Yugi's Dark Magician; what made her think he wouldn't destroy hers? He noticed she was regarding him coolly and wondered what she was hoping to accomplish.

"First, I'll play the card Spell Reclamation," he said, pulling a card from his graveyard. "Next, Blue Eyes, attack her Dark Magician!"

"I activate Spellbinding Circle!" Yumi said as the card lifted to reveal itself.

"I play Trap Jammer, rendering your Circle useless," Kaiba said with a smirk as it shattered.

"Then I play my second trap, Mirror Force!" she said angrily, anxious at how close he had gotten to unraveling her carefully crafted strategy. She watched as Kaiba scowled.

"I play Damage Absorption!" Kaiba said, watching the attack reduce itself to a breath of wind. They were at a standstill, neither one willing to move. At this rate, it would be some time before Kaiba got his victory. Still, he refused to lose to the likes of her.

"You can do it, Big Brother!" Mokuba cheered. Yumi smiled. She liked the cold CEO's little brother. He certainly looked up to Kaiba; he was his idol. She felt a twinge of sadness as she thought about the state of her own family. She quickly averted her eyes from the scene. She didn't want to think about the pain she had caused all of them. She had suffered long enough with this burden.

Kaiba noticed the way she had suddenly looked away from Mokuba. He wondered what was going on in her mind. First she had a gentle smile, but then her eyes began to reflect torment. She was certainly interesting, he admitted, but she was a confusing mystery as well.


	15. Defiant Demise

**Author's Info:** So, at last, we reach the conclusion of the duel between Seto Kaiba and Yumi Makoto. We also see the unveiling of my namesake, Draconic Mage! In truth, this is the only reason I went through all the trouble of searching out cards for Yumi's deck. I just wanted to have the entire duel in perspective for this crowning moment. Hope you enjoy it! Thanks to **ember-chan** and **DragonGirl X IslandGirl**, not only for the reviews, but most especially for the discussion. This is the real reason I enjoy posting my stories on FanFiction.

**The "what"s:** Listening to the Twilight soundtrack (a friend bought it and I liked some of the songs) and thinking about how awesome it is to know I'm keeping the characters in line with their original selves, and that the dynamics are staying strong. Yumi is by far my favorite character, and she certainly has her share of secrets at this point. I can't wait to unveil them all.

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, Yumi and Tsuki would've been members of the story the whole time. Kaiba needs someone to balance him out, and Yumi needs Tsuki to keep her in line with humanity. It's the way the world works, and it's certainly how I would approach it. As it stands, I only own the twins (and some newly emerging characters, but that comes soon enough) and the current plotline.

_Chapter Fifteen_

"All those cards just to have it end in a stalemate?" Tea asked as she watched Kaiba play a card face down. "What was the point?" She wasn't sure if it had been worth all the effort they had both just expended just to have everything be the same as it had been before.

"Yumi must need the Dark Magician for something important, otherwise I don't think she would have spent so much energy trying to save it," Joey said. "I don't know why, though. Kaiba's Blue Eyes are still a lot stronger than the Dark Magician."

"I wonder," Tsuki said thoughtfully as she watched her sister play three cards face down and end her turn. It wasn't what was on the field that concerned her; it was what was in her hand. "I didn't think she wanted to go that far, but maybe I was wrong. She never uses that card anymore, not even in the circuits."

"What is it, Tsuki?" Yugi asked, worried by the way she was muttering to herself and staring at the card in Yumi's hand. He saw her start and turn to him, surprised by his addressing her. "Sorry to startle you; you just look really worried about something. Is something bothering you?"

"My sister," she said softly. "I think she's going to do something drastic, something she hasn't done in a long time." She had returned to watching her sister, unnerved by the thought of her following through with her plan. Even against some of the world's best she had refused to duel with that card, yet here she was about to use it against Seto Kaiba. She wondered if her sister had made the conscious decision to use that card, or if she was just going with her instincts.

Yumi sensed her sister's concern. She turned to her as Kaiba drew his card and smile reassuringly. She knew her sister wouldn't understand her reasons for using this particular card. To a point, _she_ wasn't even sure why she was using this particular strategy. Not only would it be hard to pull off, but it would be a pointless way to defeat him. She could easily get a different card and finish him off, yet something in her told her she needed to win against him this way. It felt right to win this way, and she wasn't going to argue with it. Her instincts had never let her down before.

"I play Monster Reborn to bring back my Blue Eyes White Dragon," Kaiba said, smirking as his beloved creature returned to the field.

"I play my trap card, A Rival Appears! With it, I summon my rarest card and most powerful creature: Draconic Mage!" Yumi said, watching as her most prized creature appeared before them in all his glory. His dark armor was similar to that of the Dark Magician, but his hood resembled the head of a dragon and the color of his robes was a deep navy. His staff also had a silver dragon clutched around a deep sapphire; its tail and wings wrapping around the jewel and the top of the staff. She saw Kaiba stare at her incredibly rare card, and she heard Yugi gasp in disbelief. She had to admit he was intimidating with those ice blue eyes and three thousand, two hundred attack points. She saw him look at her from behind his cerulean hair and smile; she smiled in return, acknowledging the greeting of her greatest and most loyal defender.

"She really did play him," Tsuki breathed, staring in awe at the creature before her. "After all these years, she really played him again. I never thought I'd see him played again, not after . . ."

Yugi looked over at Tsuki and took her hand reassuringly, making her start yet again. When she saw his hand on hers, she flushed, making Yugi flush as well. Still he didn't move his hand, and she didn't pull hers away either. He knew his eyes were showing his concern for her; his friends had always told him he was easy to read, but she just smiled and shook her head in reassurance. She looked back to her sister, making Yugi wonder why this was so important to the sisters.

Kaiba frowned as he studied her Draconic Mage. It was among the rarest and most powerful cards in all of Duel Monsters, and it was among the very few cards he did not possess. He wondered how long it, and how much, it had taken for her to acquire even one of the cards, let alone both of them. He knew she was watching him study her, which made him smirk. After all, she may have a rare card, but she didn't have one powerful enough to stop what was coming next.

"I play Polymerization and fuse my three Blues Eyes together to create my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" He smirked more as he saw her shrink back slightly. She clearly hadn't anticipated his most majestic creature of all to be appearing so soon. He, on the other hand, was ready to end this duel. "Blue Eyes, attack her Draconic Mage and end this duel!" he commanded, smirking more in satisfaction. This duel was over.

"Not so fast, Kaiba! I play Swords of Revealing Light!" she said, smirking as his dragon's attack was halted. "Looks like I've got three more turns to turn all this around. Don't worry, though; I intend to end it this turn," she said lazily. She was highly amused by Kaiba's furious expression as he announced his turn was over.

"Even now she's able to beat off everything Kaiba does," Tristan said, shocked by her skill. She didn't even seem to be struggling; she was always two or three steps ahead of Kaiba. Not even Yugi could have defeated Kaiba this easily. He was struggling to even catch up for most of the duel. "It's as though Kaiba hasn't stood a chance from the very moment the duel started.

The sisters looked at each other and chuckled. They both knew this was far from easy for Yumi; Kaiba wasn't a pushover in any way. He was brutal and relentless, and his strategies were powerful and hard to evade. It was no wonder to either of them he had managed to remain world champion for so long, even if some of his strategies were a little predictable. Yumi drew her card and sighed in relief. "Get ready Kaiba, because this ends now!" she said seriously and fiercely, her eyes dancing as she contemplated her victory. "I play the card Defusion, reverting your Ultimate Dragon to its original parts. Next, I play Enemy Controller. Enemy Controller, left, right, A , B! Control his Blue Eyes White Dragon!"

Kaiba barely concealed his rage as he saw one of _his_ Blue Eyes go over to her. It had been bad enough to see his Ultimate Dragon destroyed, but this was going too far. She _would_ regret this!

"Don't worry, Kaiba," she said calmly when she saw his darkened expression. "He won't be on my side for long. I play Polymerization, fusing my Draconic Mage, Dark Magician, and Blue Eyes White Dragon to form my ultimate creature: Pharaonic Guardian, come forth!"

They all watched in shock as a blinding light surrounded the creatures, slowly softening to a glowing aura as they stared at the new creature in awe. It was truly a regal-looking creature, its cloak a dark navy fading into a soft blue and its eyes that same piercing, icy blue that seemed full of knowledge and wisdom. It too had the magician's garb, but it rode a dragon similar to the Blue Eyes White Dragon. It seemed to look at Yumi and nod its head, making her smile in response.

Kaiba stared at the creature in shock and defeat. With over four thousand attack points, there was no way he could withstand the attack. He glared at her as if challenging her to attack him and end the duel. He was unable to understand how she had managed to defeat him; it should have been impossible.

"Thank you, Kaiba," Yumi said seriously and sincerely. She knew this loss would be a large blow to his ego, but she knew what needed to be done. This had been the most difficult duel she had yet faced, and she owed it to him to finish it with honor. "Now, Pharaonic Guardian, attack his Blue Eyes and end this duel!" She watched as her creature attacked and Kaiba's life points dropped to zero. She looked over at him in a sign of respect before gathering her deck and walking off the arena. This was truly a duel she would remember for the rest of her days.


	16. Business Banters

**Author's Info:** Okay, so I've been pulling late nights these past few days, and it's been making greater progress than I anticipated. As a result, I am able to put one more chapter up. After this, I'm going to be putting time into other projects for a week or two. Maybe I'll post a chapter of_ Destinies_ in the meantime, but I can't promise anything of _Sando No Jigoku_. Sorry to all of you who enjoy fast updates, but life is coming up. Thanks to **ember-chan**, **DragonGirl X IslandGirl**/**FreeXFallXPhoenix**, and **yamiyugi4eva** for the reviews and messages. The last sentence is specifically for you.

**The "what"s:** Listening to _Grey_ by Yellowcard, _New Divide_ by Linkin Park, _The Great Pretender_ by Jon Frederik Band, and _You Know My Name_ by Chris Cornell. I've been thinking about how little I've done with my story lately, and all this Anne Rice business has me wanting to write it more and more. Once I watch _Queen of the Damned_ next week, it's probably going to be all I think about in what little free time I have. Don't worry; I won't abandon these stories. I just miss working with my favorite couple ever: Shawn and Whitney.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, I wouldn't have time for all this vampire business. I would be worrying about Duel Monsters and considering a way to bring back Yugi and Kaiba, the two best characters in all of the Yu-Gi-Oh universe.

_Chapter Sixteen_

"About time Money Bags got put in his place!" Joey cheered. He was more than ecstatic to see him lose, and lose to a girl, no less. He was about to go over and high-five her when he noticed she was slowly approaching Kaiba. He frowned and wondered what she was doing. He didn't understand why she would want to approach him.

She saw Kaiba scowl furiously when he realized she was approaching him. She stopped a few feet short of him and looked at him and Mokuba for a moment before saying, "Thank you, Kaiba. It's been a long time since I've had a duel that challenged me in this way, and it's been even longer since I've had an opponent worthy of playing my Draconic Mage. You're the first opponent I've ever played the Pharaonic Guardian against. It's been an honor to duel against you."

Kaiba hated how civil and courteous she was being. He would have preferred it if she had rubbed it in his face, at least then he had the right to be angry with her. Now he had no choice but to give her a job in his company. He had given his word, after all, and this was a shrewd businesswoman he was dealing with. He growled in aggravation and pulled the papers out of his case.

Yumi saw the expression on his face and sighed sadly. She looked at the papers wistfully before gently pushing them back toward him. "I'm sorry, but I can't accept the job if you're not willingly offering me the job position, wager or no. I only made that a condition so that you would consider me seriously. There's no point in hiring me if you don't want to work with me, even as your employee."

Kaiba stared at her in shock. She had won the duel _and_ gotten a job in his company, yet he was turning away because she thought he didn't want her working for him? He wouldn't have given her any chance of backing out, so why was she leaving this to him?

"Yumi, you can't be serious," Tsuki said, staring at her sister in shock. "You've been waiting for that job at Kaiba Corp. for years. You've wanted to work on the technology ever since you got wind of the fact that Seto Kaiba had taken over Kaiba Corp. and entered into the gaming industry. You're really going to throw it away because a pompous jerk decides to be sore about losing?"

"In case you'd forgotten, Tsuki, that 'pompous jerk' would happen to be my boss. I'd rather not get off on a bad note just because I won a duel. Sure, I may have tried to rattle his cage, but I'm not trying to infuriate and insult him."

"Why would you want to work for a snob like Money Bags anyway? It's not like you'll be happy working under him. He probably doesn't even remember what your name is even now. How are you going to be able to stand seeing him every day and knowing it will always be the same thing day after day?"

"Leave my brother alone, Joey," Mokuba said defensively. Yumi smiled when she saw how much he admired Kaiba. She knew it meant the brothers had an incredibly close bond, which meant there was much more to Seto Kaiba than he let on. She was intrigued by the idea, and was determined to decipher the mystery.

"Kaiba's brother is right, Joey," Yumi said. "There's really no need to start taking jabs at Kaiba. Sure he's cold and calculating, but there are others out there that are just as bad, if not worse."

Kaiba smirked. He could sense the hidden jab within her defense of him, so he knew she wasn't actually trying to make him sound as good as someone else might have thought. If she had, he would have been sure she was sucking up to him in hopes of getting a job. She would be worthless if she was, but it seemed her sense of ethics and honor were in line with those of any businessman. Perhaps she could be of use in his company, after all.

"Show me the programs you're working with," he demanded, "and maybe I'll consider it." She scowled and he could see she hadn't liked being spoken to in such a manner. She would have to get used to it if she wanted to work for him, he thought with a smirk.

"I haven't yet accepted the contracts either, Kaiba," she growled warningly, "and I certainly haven't seen you willingly offer the contracts. As such, there's no reason you should be ordering me about in this way." She knew he was used to getting his way, but she wasn't going to give into him _that_ easily. After all, what fun is there in submitting just like that?

She couldn't help the smirk that crossed her lips as she saw his scowl. She had been right in her assumption Kaiba wasn't used to being told no. Her gaze traveled to her sister, who was wearing an identical smirk. For once, she really could see how she and Tsuki were sisters. Just because they were different didn't mean they couldn't be the same sometimes. When they wanted to, they could be incredibly like one another. They had become very skilled at switching identities, despite the fact they had slightly different eye and hair color. It wasn't as if anyone paid attention; even their friends constantly fell for it.

Kaiba did not like the way she was looking over at Yugi's pathetic group of friends and smiling. Who would ever want to be friends with _those_ losers? He walked up to her yet again, staring into her defiant and amused eyes with all the power and dominating force everyone had come to fear and expect of him.

Yumi felt a smirk tug at her lips as Kaiba stared into her eyes in an attempt to overpower her. She had never been one to back down from a challenge, and this was one she would truly enjoy. She would win out against Seto Kaiba, even as she had won against him in Duel Monsters.

"You know, maybe if you would ask nicely my sister might consider showing you her work," Tsuki said. "Then again, that probably still won't happen for another two weeks at least." Her expression turned thoughtful as she looked at her sister. "You probably want to have the game room complete first, don't you?"

"For once, someone actually understands," Yumi said playfully. She then turned to Kaiba and said, "In truth, even if I _had_ wanted to show you right now, I couldn't show you anything more than the program data. I still have to finish designing the game room, and then I would actually have to begin putting together the technology I need for the games. I'll have to set up my Monster World table, video gaming software and hardware, and all of my holographic and virtual reality equipment, which includes not only Senet and chess, but also Duel Monsters."

"That must be some low-level equipment," Kaiba scoffed. After all, he could not imagine decent holograms coming from a program used for low-level tricks such as creating pawns.

"Actually, my sister uses top of the line equipment, not unlike what you would find in your labs at Kaiba Corp. My sister's visited your company before, but it was only in the conversion stages, if I recall correctly. It was kind of cute to see how excited she was to come here and be given a personal tour by someone who shared as much passion about gaming as her. She really wanted to see what it was like to be in a gaming corporation, and what better chance than that?"

"Tsuki," Yumi growled warningly, "don't you dare start with me." She was not in the mood for her sister to make it sound as though it had been Kaiba she was interested in and not the technology. Much as she was enjoying getting under his skin, there was no way she would fall for a guy like Kaiba.


	17. Pizza Promises

**Author's Info:** Hey everyone! Sorry it's taken me so long to update! Life's been insane for so many reasons, mainly because it's been the madness of midterms and then the busy life of trying to see my family and friends in the little free time I have before it's back to the same old routine. Thanks to all of you who have read, commented/reviewed, and messaged me, especially **FreeXFallXPhoenix**, **ember-chan**, **jayz1718**, **Luka14**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, **Mischievous Wolf of ****Twilight**, **yamiyugi4eva**, **DarkFlame Alchemist**, and **Alicia-Marie1998**. Sorry it took me so long guys, but I really can't thank all of you enough! I'm going to see if I can get another chapter before the weekend, but I can't make any promises.

**The "what"s:** Listening to a mix of Chris Cornell, Linkin Park, HIM, Papa Roach, Breaking Benjamin, and others as loud as I possibly can while I have the time to. Thinking about how great it is to finally have a day completely to myself and about I can most quickly level up my mage in World of Warcraft. (Yes, I have WoW, and I rather enjoy being a nerd.)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, I honestly don't know how I'd handle the insanity that it would add to my life. I felt bad enough about being slow to update my Fanfiction thanks to life! I _do_ own Yumi and Tsuki, though, as well as Makoto Shinogame.

_Chapter Seventeen_

Tsuki just grinned in response to her sister's defiance. Much as Yumi wanted to deny it, Kaiba possessed every trait she held admirable in a man: confident, determined, hard-working, self-reliant, intelligent, innovative, cautious, and challenging. She just didn't realize it yet.

"And who was it that gave you the tour?" Kaiba growled, intent on firing the moron responsible. Yumi looked at him strangely before suddenly erupting into laughter. "And just what is so funny?" he snapped when she continued laughing instead of responding.

"_You_ did, Kaiba," she said when her laughter had subsided enough to allow her to speak. "Considering you were just entering into the gaming world, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you don't remember. Just to jog your memory, though, I'll tell you the name of my former employer: Makoto Shinogame, owner of Shinogame Electronics. He's a supplier to your company, although he has admittedly dabbled in some gaming ventures of his own."

"Mostly Yumi's work," Tsuki said proudly, making Kaiba stare at her in disbelief. After all, Makoto Shinogame was revolutionary in some of the most important parts Kaiba didn't personally manufacture. He had known Shinogame tested with his own holographic technology, but there was no way _she_ was the developer of that technology.

"I developed the software for Makoto Shinogame, but I really enjoyed working in the testing facility. Still, working for a tech creator is not as much fun as working with the gaming technology itself. As for my visit to Kaiba Corp., I was the tech expert Shinogame brought with him, although I probably looked more like I was his daughter on some sort of field trip compared to the assistant he had with him," she said, laughing once again. "Still, your ideas for the gaming world even then were fascinating. I guess it helped I have always interested in games, otherwise I don't know that Shinogame would have even considered your proposition."

"And what makes you think you have such a hold over Shinogame?" Kaiba asked, scowling at her impudence. She had quite the nerve to speak to him like that, and to speak about his business partner in such a casual manner.

"You can tell him I said all that when you check my references if it makes you feel any better," she said. "Shinogame is a good man, and he's good at what he does, but it just wasn't what I wanted to do with my life, manufacturing parts for gaming companies to use. I jut hope Kaiba Corp. proves to be that something that makes me happy with my decisions thus far."

She looked at Tsuki, who was smiling, and smiled back. She was grateful her sister was supportive of her endeavors, even if she did complain about her lack of a social life. After all, Tsuki only did it because she cared about her, and Yumi could understand why. Yumi knew her sister had hoped that moving to a new city would reduce her workaholic habits, especially since she wouldn't need to distract herself as much, but Yumi had known that nothing would change for her. She wanted to work, and her habits had become too ingrained in her by this point to change. Her work allowed her to ignore all the pain she still felt, especially when she looked at her father and her sister. It helped her forget the guilt and fears that she still suffered with after she had to sacrifice everything thanks to the betrayal of someone they had all known and loved so dearly. She had made a promise to herself she would never allow herself to turn out like her nor would she allow herself to sink back into what she had once been, and, if working as she did and getting involved with a boss like Kaiba would make it go away, she would take it. She would be safe this way. That was all that mattered.

"By the way, Kaiba, I'd prefer it if you don't mention the compliment I gave him; I really don't want to get a big head," she said, initially serious, but becoming increasingly playful. "Makoto tends to be quite pleased with himself whenever I give him compliments, and I would prefer it if he hears me give him a compliment myself when I feel they are warranted than have him hear you say I gave him a compliment."

Kaiba highly doubted Shinogame would even care about what she had to say, so he decided to indulge her once. Besides, why would he needlessly attempt to make her look good? She had just defeated him in a game of Duel Monsters; he would not give her any more reasons to feel triumphant over him. He had a reputation to maintain, after all.

"By the way, let me know when you're ready for me to sign the contracts, Kaiba," Yumi said playfully as she turned toward the door. She knew Kaiba would ultimately offer her the job. She had all the credentials and skills as well as the impressive recommendation Shinogame was sure to give her. Then there was Kaiba's desire to see her technology and make her submit to him, which would require constant interaction, and what better place to ensure that than in an office together? She _would_ get that job; the only question was what price she would have to pay to keep it.

"Don't tell me we're leaving already?" Tsuki whined. "It was just starting to get good!"

"Well, I _was_ going to get pizza to celebrate, but you apparently don't want any free food," Yumi said, shrugging.

"Free food?" Joey said, perking up and looking over at her excitedly. When she nodded, he and Tristan gave each other high fives and raced to the elevator. "Three cheers for Yumi!" they said, thoughts absorbed by the idea of a mountain of pizza.

"Do they ever think about anything other than food?" Tea asked, slightly irritated by her friends' actions. "She's not a free buffet! Even Kaiba can't afford to let them have a free-for-all with food."

"It's alright, Tea," Yumi said reassuringly, "I think I can foot their bill this once. She chuckled at their enthusiasm as they called for everyone to hurry up. "Besides, I'm rather hungry myself. I haven't been eating as well as I should lately, what with all stress of moving and needing to find a job."

"_Finally_, she admits to doing something wrong!" Tsuki said playfully, making her sister glare at her. "Come on, you _never_ want to admit when you do things you shouldn't!"

"Come on guys," Yugi said nervously, "let's not fight. Let's just go and get some pizza, alright?" He was relieved when he saw Yumi smile and nod at him before turning toward the elevator. He saw Tsuki wink at him before she followed her sister, which made him blush slightly.


	18. Early Enigma

**Author's Info:** Sorry it's taken so long! Life is something I need to learn to juggle right, apparently. I promise I will get back into this as soon as I get past my small bout of writer's block. It's only a very brief segment that eludes me, but it's enough to deter my writing. If you want to help me, message me, so I can tell you the issue. Thanks to those of you who have read this thus far, especially **yamiyugi4eva**, **supercyco214**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, and **FreeXFallXPhoenix**. I promise that now I can get back into my routine because life will calm down.

**The "what"s:** Listening to a combination of the Goo Goo Dolls (_Black Balloon_ is _especially_ fitting for what I envision Yumi/Kaiba to be. Then again, so is _Iris_, which happens to be my all-time favorite song.), Red Hot Chili Peppers, Breaking Benjamin, Jason Mraz, and others. I've been thinking a lot about yumi and her struggles lately, and I'm anxious to divulge them, but that doesn't come for quite some time. I'm also insanely excited for this weekend. I've got huge plans for celebrating Halloween, my favorite holiday.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, I would feel horrible for not updating more frequently. I already do, but that would be even worse. As it stands, I do own Yumi and Tsuki, and (in the next chapter) their father!

**Extra Note:** _Sando No Jigoku_ has over 1000 views now. I'm really happy about that. Also, if anyone can tell me what they think the deal with the Makoto's mother is, I'd be super grateful. I want to see if it's too obvious.

_Chapter Eighteen_

"Joey, that was _my_ slice!" Tsuki cried out angrily, diving for the pizza in his hand and glaring when he pulled it out of her reach and took a bite.

"Tsuki, there's plenty of slices of pizza left. Quit whining about one slice," Yumi said.

"But I wanted _that_ one!"

"And you also clearly want me to get you a diaper and a bottle, 'cause you're being a big baby," Yumi retorted, smirking at her sister's annoyed reaction. She figured if her sister was going to get on her nerves, she may as well make the feeling mutual.

"Why do you two always go after one another like that?" Yugi asked. "It's almost as if you two don't like each other." He couldn't understand why any siblings would go after one another the way they did. After all, they were family. Yugi may not have had any siblings, but he knew he wouldn't have acted that way if he had. After all, he had Yami with him, and they got along fine.

"Yumi is an incredibly reserved person by nature, so getting her to admit something short of annoying it out of her is difficult. Besides, I would rather have her be sarcastic with me and let out whatever she's feeling than have her do a Kaiba and snap at people who don't deserve it until they start crying. Besides, we have to have fun with each other somehow!"

"But don't you two already spend a lot of time together?" Tea asked, confused by the way Tsuki was talking. After all, she always saw the two of them together. Whether it was walking to school, hanging out in a room, or even the duel, they weren't separated. "Why would you constantly need to tease one another? Wouldn't that get boring?"

"Tsuki wouldn't admit this to herself, but she doesn't tease me like this as often as you think. She only teases me when she thinks I need a break from work or when she knows I'm having fun. In truth, there are some days where the only time I even see my sister is as school, thanks to all the effort I put into my work."

"But you're only in high school. Why would you want to spend all your time working?" Yugi asked, suddenly wondering about the real relationship between the two sisters and contemplating what else could have happened to create two incredibly different people.

"I don't spend _all_ my time working," Yumi said seriously. "In fact, I actually take at least one day off every week. It's non-negotiable. As for why I spend so many hours working, part of it, well, most really, is because I love the work that I do. Creating holographic simulations and making games work on a virtual field, especially Duel Monsters, allows me to be around the things I enjoy most and get paid for them." She knew she was lying somewhat to her new friends, but she treated information about herself the same as she had in the past: everything about her was strictly on a need to know basis, and they certainly didn't need to know.

"Besides, Dad was really happy when Shinogame noticed her talents," Tsuki admitted proudly. "He was more than happy to consent, especially since it meant she wouldn't be alone all the time. It gave her something to do, even if it did create a monster," she added teasingly, which made Yumi grin innocently in turn.

"Why were you alone?" Tea asked curiously, which made Yugi freeze. He could see by the looks on both of the sisters' faces they weren't willing to discuss this with them. Sure, he was curious about it too, but he could at least wait until he was alone with one of them and she was willing to tell him the truth.

Yumi forced a smile as she turned to Tea and said," It's really nothing important. I just had way too much free time and Tsuki and Dad were gone a lot. You know Tsuki, always talking and hanging out with people. As for Dad, he works late a lot, so there really wasn't anyone at home." She refused to say anything more than the subject, but that was clearly more than enough to appease the majority of the group. She could see Yugi's curiosity, but she wasn't about to indulge him just yet. He would have to truly earn her trust before she ever told him the true story.

"Hey Yumi, weren't you supposed to get a package today?" Tsuki asked, making her sister's eyes widen. She knew Yumi was putting together their game room once they got home, and that she had just been waiting on a few parts to really begin getting started.

"You're right," she admitted reluctantly once her panic had subsided. "I guess I had completely forgotten about the game room in all this excitement. Sorry to cut this short, everyone, but, unless you want to be stuck paying for all this, I'm afraid this is it. Hopefully next time I won't have so many things to get done."

"It's alright," Yugi said, smiling reassuringly to her. He could see she felt bad about rushing off so suddenly, but he understood she needed to go home and get that finished, even if it meant losing precious time with her friends now. At least once she was done she would be able to hang out more, and she would be able to work on her game.

"Yumi, do you mind if I stay?" Tsuki asked. "I kind of want to get to know everyone better." She felt bad about making her sister walk home alone, but she wanted to see if these were people her sister could trust and become friends with, and if it was possible for her to become friends with them as well.

"That's fine," Yumi said, unwilling to admit she was unhappy with her sister's decision to stay behind. Much as she wanted her sister to walk back with her, she refused to be selfish and deny her the chance to meet other people. "Besides," she said, a smirk curling on her lips, "I actually know where the hell I'm going, _and_ I can handle myself if I get into any _undesirable_ situations. As for you, just make sure you have one of the guys walk you home, okay? The last thing I need is for you to wind up lost and get mugged or who knows what else." Truthfully, she had wanted her sister's input and help with the room, but she knew her sister liked being out of the house. She just hoped Tsuki listened to her and didn't try to go walking around without anyone else with her. Tsuki wasn't the best with finding her way around, and she was concerned with her sister's too trusting, non-defensive attitude.

"I'm not _that_ stupid, Yumi," Tsuki said, not happy with her sister's comments. She hadn't needed her faults publicized to people she barely knew, and she certainly didn't need her sister acting like a mother. She appreciated the concern, and she knew her sister was only trying to do what she thought was best ever since their mother's sudden departure, but she sometimes worried her sister tried to take on too much, and that this was going to be her sister's downfall.

"I know," Yumi said, relenting slightly. "I just don't want you trying to figure it out alone and getting lost. Dad would be worried, and I'd really rather not have to stop working on the room to search all over for you." She knew she probably sounded cold to the others, but she could see the grateful look in her sister's eyes. That was all that mattered to her.

"Yeah, yeah, get going already," Tsuki said, rolling her eyes. "I'm sure your precious motherboards and graphics simulations are just _dying_ to see you again. It's been an entire day since you got them out of their boxes, after all." She saw Yumi smirk before she turned and walked out the door without another word, leaving them to finished their pizzas without her.

"That seemed like a rather cold way to say goodbye," Tea said, frowning slightly and clearly somewhat offended. "I mean, she wasn't exactly nice to you, Tsuki."

"Nah," Tsuki said, smiling and waving it off, "that was actually her way of saying she wished she didn't have to leave. Yumi didn't get out too often in Tokyo; she never had the time for it. Besides, I think she actually likes spending time with you guys. She's never wanted anyone to come watch her duels before. Who knows, maybe moving to this town really was the thing that could have happened to her."

"You mean Yumi actually wants to hang out with us?" Joey asked, incredulous. He was even more surprised when Tsuki giggled as thought it was the most obvious thing in the world. "She hardly said anything, though, and we were here for hours!"

"Well, Yumi is really quiet, especially about things that have to do with her," Tsuki admitted. "She doesn't like telling everyone about things that are happening in her life, especially not bad things. She knows other people have problems too, and she doesn't want to burden them. Just give her a little more time and you'll see exactly what I mean."


	19. Foolish Findings

**Author's Info:** Wow, I had an incredibly interesting Halloween. That's the main reason this wasn't up sooner. I promise I'll have my writer's block gone soon, and then things will progress much quicker in plot. Thanks to everyone who read/commented/messaged, especially **ember-chan**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, and **yamiyugi4eva**. I hope you guys had an awesome Halloween, and know that things are going to get more frequent again now that the weirdness is over.

**The "what"s:** Listening to a bunch of random music in my library on shuffle. I've heard _I'm Yours_ by Jason Mraz twice, and I just bought _He's a Pirate_ an hour ago. We'll see if it plays soon.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, there wouldn't be much time for all the side stories I love creating. As it stands, I _do_ own Yumi, Tsuki, and their father, Shinji. Enjoy the new character, everyone!

_Chapter Nineteen_

Yumi sighed as she approached their home. She had been enjoying herself until her sister had suddenly reminded her of her rather important package that she had been waiting for. She wished it could have waited for another time. It had been a long time since she had been able to just sit and talk with people normally, and she was finally beginning to understand why her sister complained about her lack of social skills. Still, she really wanted that job at Kaiba Corp., and no lack of social skills was going to stop her. This was important to her.

She sighed deeply at the realization she really was enjoying being around people other than the ones she saw almost daily in the office. Sure she'd had friends in Tokyo, but a lot of them had stopped talking to her after everything that had happened with her mother. Once she'd gotten her job at Shinogame Electronics, she didn't even pay attention anymore. She only hung out with the ones that had stayed with her, and they had learned not to expect her frequently due to her work. That certainly wouldn't change now, especially since she had moved to Domino City. She wondered when she would be able to see them again.

Suddenly, Yumi noticed a black car arrive at her house. She turned slightly as she wondered who it was and what they wanted with her family. She saw a man get out of the driver's side and approach the door. When he had knocked and her father answered the door, she moved slightly closer, listening intently to hear what she could without being seen.

"Can I help you?" she heard her father ask warily. She knew her father would be concerned with seeing such a man outside his door. Sure, he seemed like a good enough guy overall, but he still made her, and her father apparently, feel on edge.

"Are you Mr. Makoto?" the man asked.

"Who's asking?" her father asked sharply. She could see he was in no mood for games.

"My name is Roland. My employer wishes to speak with your daughter, Yumi Makoto. This is a matter of great importance," the man said.

"She is not at home at the moment. She is busy meeting people from her school. If you'll give me the name of your employer, I'd be happy to—"

"You do know it's considered bad business etiquette to listen in on other's conversations, don't you?" she heard someone ask from behind her, making her jump. She turned around to see Seto Kaiba staring at her, an amused smirk on his face. "Roland, there's no need. She's right here." She flushed in embarrassment as she saw both Roland and her father turn toward them in surprise. She saw her father look at her questioningly, and then saw his eyes widen when he saw who was standing beside her. Thanks to her love of games and dueling, and her father's own research, there was no way he couldn't know the famous teenage CEO.

"Hello, Father," she said as she walked over to him. "Sorry I'm so late. After my initial engagement, I went out with Tsuki and a few people from school to get pizza. Tsuki is still with them, but I remembered I was supposed to receive that package today, so I came home."

"The one from Shinogame?" he father asked, eyes raking over her dress and once again looking to the man who stood beside her. "I got the package and put it in the game room already. I assumed it was for your holographic system, since that's usually the reason you buy parts from him."

"Thank you, Father," she said, smiling brightly. "I had been worried no one would be home. I thought you would be working late in the office tonight, so I figured it would be best if I returned home right away."

"I decided I wanted to be home when you got back from meeting with your classmates. It's been a long time since you've spent time just meeting with other classmates," he said, smiling. "Where did you end up going? You told me you had been unsure of where you would be today." She knew he really wanted to know why she had the dress on; he was her father, and she knew him far too well to be fooled.

"I went to a duel," she said, smiling. "Yugi Mutou was there, so was Joey Wheeler, Tea Gardner, Tristan Taylor, Tsuki, and Seto Kaiba here, along with his younger brother, Mokuba."

"Really?" her father asked, intrigued by the people she had mentioned. "And who, may I ask, was dueling?"

"Seto Kaiba, of course," she said immediately, smiling to him. "The duel was held in his arena at Kaiba Corp."

"And who was his opponent?" her father asked, wanting more information. Yumi wished he would stop asking such questions; it really made it difficult for her to avoid talking about her own involvement, especially since she didn't want to lie to him.

"Your daughter was my opponent," Kaiba said, making both her and her father look at him in surprise. She saw her father then turn and look at her wonderingly. After all, it had been a long time since she had dueled anyone openly, and even longer since it had been someone outside the circuits.

"And who won?"

"Kaiba did," Yumi said before Kaiba could say anything. Much as she hated lying to her father, she didn't want him to know about her real capabilities as a duelist. "It seemed close for a while, but I guess he's a far better strategist than I anticipated. It was a difficult duel, and I made the mistake of underestimating my opponent."

"Well," her father said, laughing somewhat, "it's a good thing that someone beat my daughter at _something_. None of her previous friends could come close to matching her. Even I have a very tough time defeating her, and _I'm_ the one that taught her!" He was laughing even more by the end.

"Your daughter is a skilled duelist," Kaiba admitted, making Yumi stare at him in surprise. She hadn't expected to hear any sort of compliment from him, and to hear it honored her. "Actually, that's in part why I'm here," he continued. "Your daughter, as you probably know, put in a job application to work at my company, and at first I was reluctant to consider her. After that duel and checking out her references, however, I'm willing to give her an interview. Since I had some available time, I figured the sooner, the better."

Yumi stared at him, stunned. She had caught the hidden meaning in his words. She had earned his respect, and he was now willingly offering her the contract. All she had to do was show him the games she had been working on as a good faith effort. She nodded before turning and looking at her father, who nodded knowingly.

"You can use my office if you want. I daresay yours is rather unfinished, Yumi," her father said teasingly. "You and all your technology are certainly strange to me. Honestly, I'm amazed sometimes you haven't become more of a robot just so you can mimic those machines of yours."

"On the contrary," she said, smiling gently. "I think working with the machines has made me more human. Much as I enjoy working with my equipment, I much prefer the end result. The games come to life and it brings joy to people. Besides, you know what I really love is the trip to Egypt we make every year. I can't wait to start work on a new tomb. Who knows, maybe this time I'll finally find the answers I seek."

"And maybe this time you'll finally let me see your skills in the circuits," he teased. "Sure I've seen you duel my colleagues, but what about the younger ones, the one that come out to the digs specifically to meet you? I know you're a good duelist, but I wasn't aware until recently of just how much of a following you have."

"It's not that I have a following as much as it is people bragging about my reputation. As a result, I've got plenty of people challenging me that I would actually prefer leaving me alone." She scowled when she saw a knowing, teasing gleam in her father's eyes. "I _especially_ wish he would leave me alone. Just because he's called the Prince of Thieves doesn't mean he'll be able to win _me_ over."

"He is quite besotted with you," her father said teasingly. "He called me today, asking if you were coming to the excavation in a few months. I told him you were planning on going so long as everything went smoothly after moving in. He wasn't pleased, but it was a satisfying enough answer."

Yumi groaned before saying, "_Please_ tell me you didn't mention we had moved to Domino City. All I'm asking for is a few months away from the circuits. Just a few months where they can't challenge me so I can adjust to being here. Of you told him, everyone will find out where I am in no time. It will be obvious when he doesn't go to Tokyo for our usual duel."

"Don't worry, Yumi; I didn't tell him," he said reassuringly. "I just mentioned I had a lot of work to get done and that you were rather busy looking for a job. I think all he really wanted at the moment was confirmation that he would at least be able to see you at the site in a few months."

"He should know I wouldn't miss the excavation for anything. If we're right about this one, we may finally have found a site linked to the Great Pharaoh. I've waited _years_ for this, and I won't miss the chance; I've come far too close."

Kaiba cleared his throat in annoyance. He was growing tired of all this talk about ancient Egypt, although he had found this stalker of hers to be quite entertaining. Perhaps that was what it took to get under her skin. He quickly rejected that idea. No, he would find his own way to get under her skin, and he would prove even more aggravating to her than anything this 'Prince of Thieves' was capable of. She may have won the duel, but the war was far from over.


	20. Bartered Beginnings

**Author's Info: ** Hey everyone, sorry it's been a while again. I promise I'm working on getting this up. I guess I just got lazy a few days, and then I went and stayed up until 5:30 am yesterday, a rather stupid move on my part. I think I have a method of getting past the writer's block; now I just have to actually sit and write (and _not_ get distracted by Facebook!!). Anyway, I want to thank ember-chan, DaAmazingMeepers, yamiyugi4eva, Azura Soul Reaver, and FreeXFallXPhoenix for the messages/reviews, and everyone else who is reading this. Those of you who I mentioned, I have further comments after the chappie (yes, I said chappie, so deal).

**The "what"s: **Listening to _Go the Distance_ from _Hercules_ and _Requiem for a Dream_ (not sure where that's from). Actually, whenever I hear _Requiem for a Dream_ I think of Kaiba and Yumi at some sort of business gala dancing. Of course it's not a romantic dance; it's a power struggle, even if there's the potential of any flirting. I'm listening to _Go the Distance_ because I realize I'm at that stage in my life, and it makes me feel better. Besides, I love _Hercules_, despite all the inaccuracies.

**Disclaimer:** No, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, Yumi and Tsuki would have been there to add another few people to drive Kaiba up the wall. :) As it stands, I do own the twins, and their father, and the plotline thus far.

**Extra note:** The next few chapters are Yumi/Kaiba centric. No Tsuki, but she'll have a chapter or two after to make up for it. Enjoy.

_Chapter Twenty_

"I'm sorry, Kaiba," she said, looking genuinely apologetic. "I just got wrapped up in the thought of going to the excavation again. We'll just go in my office, Father. I know it's not really finished, but I'll have it all set up by the end of the week. Besides, this is probably better; you can see how I set up my systems." She surprised Kaiba by how quickly she had been able to change from her exasperation at the mentioning of this 'Prince of Thieves' to a serious business attitude. He nodded to her and followed her inside. He was surprised by how quickly she seemed to have transitioned to moving here; she already knew exactly where she was going.

"Excuse the mess," she said. "I've been trying to finish my room and start on the game room all at once. It's been a rather harrowing experience." With that, she opened the door and turned on the light. Kaiba could see her office and her bedroom served the same function, although the section that comprised her bedroom was well hidden from the office portion. Still, everything he could see of it wasn't girly in any way. In fact, the sage green walls and the dark wood were highly agreeable to him. The dark red comforter and the contemporary style of her furniture were something he could have even considered placing in his home. She did have pictures and artifacts in her room, but only a select number of these seemed to make their way into the vast majority of her room which comprised her office.

This consisted of three bookcases, a desk, and two chairs. It was professional looking, yet surprisingly casual. He noticed there was no view of the bedroom portion from the office, and that the desk had a new computer on it as well as a laptop. It still wasn't completely set up, but it was mostly complete.

"I know it probably seems strange for me to have my office in my bedroom, but it's not as thought I have clients coming to my home on matters of business. It's one of the largest rooms in this house, and it allowed me the space to work on my projects comfortably while still affording me a quiet and relaxing place to be when I'm finished working for the day. Some of the technology will also go into the game room once it's complete, but that is more for my own personal enjoyment than it is for any sort of work-related purposes."

She offered him one of the more comfortable chairs, which he sat in. She then took her place at the desk and turned on her desktop. Kaiba could see she was taking his offer seriously, which he had to admit pleased him. The way she was working deftly and silently assured him she did not wish to play games with him about this issue. If she had, he probably would have left right then and forgotten entirely about any possibility of offering her a job. He was not a man to be insulted. When she had pulled something up on the screen, she stood and moved aside to let him get a better look.

She watched nervously as Kaiba sat down and began looking at the blueprints and programs for her Senet game, Duel Monsters platform, and Monster World board. She watched his expressions intently, trying to find any hint of what his thoughts were about her work. His face was stoic, which only made her anxiety grow. After a while, he looked at her and backed away from the computer.

"What are you hoping to do with your game?" he asked. He knew she was trying to gauge his reaction and see what he thought, but he was too good of a businessman to reveal something like that so easily. Besides, he enjoyed seeing her sweat, and he had yet to see her so-called crowning glory.

"It's going to be a virtual reality game. I haven't gotten far enough in the programming yet, but I want to make sure this is as realistic as possible. I want people to feel as though they really _are_ adventuring in ancient Egypt. It's the ultimate combination of my two favorite things: technology and Egyptology. You should enjoy it, too. It contains a version of the Shadow Games, the ancient equivalent to Duel Monsters. Characters choose a particular monster as their ka, as well as one of a select number of classes: guardian, priest, mage, robber, seer, and assassin. You can either be on the side of the pharaoh or the side of the Thief King, his enemy."

She had taken the seat in front of the computer once again and began opening up the program that held the data for the game. She moved out of the way once more to let him look at her project. Kaiba glanced at it and was immediately impressed by the complexity of the program. There was certainly a lot of skill put into it, and he wondered where she had been able to learn all these skills.

"And you say you designed all this?" he asked, masking the incredulity in his voice. She nodded in affirmation as he continued to look over the program. Perhaps she really would be of use to his company. After all, he would find out soon enough if she was a fraud, and if she wasn't he would gain a valuable addition to his company. Even he wasn't as much of a fool to pass an opportunity such as this up; he could always use skilled people in his company. "I spoke with Shinogame about your application. He said he wasn't surprised you tried applying to my company first, as it's 'your favorite of all the gaming corporations, and a partner of Shinogame Electronics to boot.' He seemed to speak rather highly of you." Kaiba didn't feel the need to tell her about his reaction to her supposed insults.

"Let me guess, you wanted to see if my insults would make any difference in his opinion of me, yet all he did was laugh and say 'Yumi always did enjoy giving me a hard time. It made being in the office much more amusing. Give her my regards, Mr. Kaiba'" she said lazily, a smirk tugging at her lips. Kaiba scowled at her assessment. He knew he couldn't deny it, since those had actually been his exact words. Suddenly, he heard the phone go off. Yumi looked at the phone for a moment before turning back to him without answering it, which made Kaiba look at her questioningly.

"It's rude for me to answer the telephone in the middle of a business meeting. Besides, it's probably something my father can handle alone. I have yet to have anyone call me here, and if he has issues, then he will come and talk to me." She heard the phone stop ringing and knew it meant her father had answered it.

Kaiba smirked as he studied her for a moment. "So you think you have what it takes to work for me, do you? I'm not anywhere near as nice as Makoto Shinogame. When I say I want something done, it gets done."

"Don't worry, Mr. Hot-short CEO; I'm perfectly capable of handling whatever you throw at me," she responded," smirking in response. "Now, what is the job position I will be filling?"

"You're going to work as my personal assistant," he said, smirking more as she saw the infuriated look on her face. He had touched a nerve, and he was enjoying every moment of it. "Why so unhappy? You wanted a high-ranking job at Kaiba Corp., and what's better than the chance to work with me personally?"

"I work with _technology_, Kaiba. I create programs and I remove imperfections in their systems. I don't run errands for coffee and file all your papers for you," she said, thoroughly insulted. She knew she had given Kaiba the exact reaction he'd wanted from her, but how could she not react to his insult in such a fashion? Kaiba certainly wouldn't have tolerated it if he'd been in her situation either.

"You only said you wanted a high-ranking job in my company, not that it _had_ to be related to technology—" Kaiba was cut off by a sudden knock on the door. They both turned in surprise to see her father quietly opening the door, phone in hand.

**Notes to commentators:**

**ember-chan:** I'm glad you think Yumi is so epic. Is there any particular reason for it? I am kinda curious. :) It's always good when you get emotionally attached to characters (unless they kill them), so I'm honored you like her that much.

**DaAmazingMeepers:** Yes, Kaiba really does. :) He wants to win this battles of minds, after all. I can't wait until you see her first day on the job.

**yamiyugi4eva:** Sorry about the guy! Halloween was interesting, as I said, but not so much for me. My thoughts have already turned to Thanksgiving.

**Azura ****Soul Reaver:** Glad you like it! Feel free to comment any time.

**FreeXFallXPhoenix:** Yumi, modest? *starts laughing* She's got quite the ego of her own, evidenced by the way she goads Kaiba. She just doesn't like getting others involved in her affairs. I can't wait to post her first day either. It's very exciting.


	21. Teeming Thoughts

**Author's Info:** Yay updates! I'm cranking this out today, or so it seems to me. All of this despite the distractions going on around me such as news of my friend's and their debate tournaments, random calls from family, and the dreaded Facebook. Thanks to those of you who have already read/messaged, especially **Azura ****Soul Reaver**, **ember-chan**, **EgyptianSoul.88**, and **supercyco214**. Specific comments to follow the chapter!

**The "what"s:** Listening to _Requiem for a Dream_ again. I really do think it fits the way Kaiba and Yumi act around one another. Thinking about how hilarious my friends are and how excited I am to see some of them over Thanksgiving.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Much as I love the manga and the anime, I feel like I would be too stressed to crank out new volumes. I _do_ own Yumi, Tsuki, Makoto, Shinji, and Kuro though, as well as the current plotline. Now, onward with the Kaiba/Yumi-ness!

_Chapter Twenty-One_

"I'm sorry to interrupt," her father said apologetically, "but Makoto is on the phone and he's demanding to talk to you. I told him you were busy at the moment, but he insisted."

Yumi looked to Kaiba apologetically before saying, "It's alright, Father. Thanks for trying." She took the phone from him and said, "Yumi Makoto speaking. How may I help you?"

"Yumi, there you are!" she heard her former boss, Makoto Shinogame, say with relief. "I was beginning to think I wouldn't be able to speak with you!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shinogame, but I've been rather busy as of late. I'm actually with someone right now, so—"

"But I have great news for you, Yumi! It's regarding Seto Kaiba! It looks like he's gotten—"

"Mr. Shinogame?" she tried to interject, but her attempts fell on deaf ears as he continued talking.

"Yumi, I know how much you've wanted to work at Kaiba Corp. It's been your dream ever since we made the deal with him two years ago. Sure, we're a supplier of parts that he needs, and we have a considerable amount of influence, even among the gaming industry, but you've always been a programmer and a gamer, not a manufacturer. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know Kaiba called me today for a reference check. He sounded rather urgent in wanting learning more about you and your abilities.

"I was rather surprised, especially since other employees have put in applications there and hadn't even stood a chance at getting in. Some have, I know, but he never once even bothered to call me personally to find out more about them. He seemed quite interested in you. He asked all sorts of questions about the programs you worked on under me. I told him you would be the person best able to explain the programs, since you were the one to really develop them, and that you knew them better than anyone else in the company. I also told him that if he really wanted to see your skills as a programmer, he should take a look at that game you've been designing. He sounded quite serious about you. He even asked me about your dueling skills and whether you were involved in any circuits. I admitted I didn't know much about that; I only knew that you sometimes took days off because of a duel or two with some friends who came to visit you. He didn't seem to appreciate the lack of information."

"Thank you, Mr. Shinogame," she said, grateful for all his help despite the fact he was telling her all this at an incredibly inopportune moment. "You really didn't have to go through all the trouble to do that."

"This is the job you've wanted for years, Yumi, and you've certainly worked hard enough to earn it. Besides, how could I not after all the flattering things you've said about me to Kaiba?" he said, laughing. She smiled, grateful to have made him so happy. She knew he had been incredibly sad to see her leave for Domino.

"Great, now I've gone and stoked your ego again," she teased, rolling her eyes even though he couldn't see them. "Now I'm going to have to maintain silence for an entire week in hopes you'll finally be driven mad by my silence." Her sarcasm was evident, as was the fact she didn't truly mean anything cruel by it.

"I'm afraid you've already accomplished your goal," he said somewhat sadly. "It's just not the same now that you've left. The meetings are quite dull, and your replacement, while skilled with technology, does not have the sense of humor you were known for. Besides, I think Kurogane misses you a lot more than he is willing to let on."

"I highly doubt that," she said, flushing slightly in embarrassment. "I mean, sure Kuro and I are friends, but there's never been anything more than that. Besides, I promised I'd visit him when things had gotten more settled here. Things have been rather insane these past few days. I'm nowhere near finished setting up the game room, although I did receive the package containing the parts today."

"Glad to hear you received the shipment," he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "By the way, Yumi, you shouldn't worry about what Kaiba's going to do. I wouldn't be surprised if he's the one you're meeting with right now. If I know you as well as I think, you'll have more than impressed him. Kaiba's a good man to work for, as you know, albeit a little uptight." She wanted to laugh when she heard that statement. Kaiba was more than a _little_ uptight. She managed to remain calm as he said, "You'll probably fix that in no time."

"We'll see, Mr. Shinogame," she said, unable to hide the smirk even if she had contained her laughter. "I think this one might actually provide a challenge. You know how much I love a challenge." She heard him laughing once again into the phone and knew he was thoroughly amused.

"Careful, Yumi," he teased. "One of these days you're going to meet your match, and who knows what's going to happen when that day comes. You might even fall in love with him." Now it was her turn to laugh. The idea of someone defeating her, and then making her fall in love with him was ludicrous. She was not the sort of person to fall so easily, nor would she simply give in, even if she was defeated.

"That will be the day, Makoto. The day I fall in love with a man is the day I admit defeat. I will never simply 'give in,' no matter what you people prophesy about me. Besides, what makes you think _he's_ any different from the ones before? He doesn't seem so special to me."

"Careful, Yumi," he cautioned. "It's always the ones you don't expect that take you the most by surprise. Don't underestimate Kaiba; he's a man to be reckoned with on more accounts than just business. He'll meet your wit and sarcasm blow for blow, and he may even beat you to the punch a time or two."

"You only wish he was a match for _my_ personality. I won't be chained down, Makoto; I'm no man's slave. I won't let anyone else control me in such a way ever again," she swore. Kaiba couldn't help but notice the way her eyes had narrowed and glimmered with the same intensity as her voice. Whatever had happened, she had certainly rejected any sort of idea of it happening ever again. He was intrigued; not only did this girl have an attitude similar to his, but he was also willing to challenge everyone. To her, this was a game, and he was merely her newest opponent. This was exactly the way he preferred it. She would underestimate him this way. Sure, she had won the game of Duel Monsters, but she would never truly be able to defeat him.

"I know you won't, Yumi. You're not like _her_; you'll hold out to the very end, no matter what happens. We all believe in you, just know that. Good luck, and have fun in your new job, Yumi. May it bring you everything you've ever wished for and so much more," she heard him say with a serious hope and conviction. She was taken aback by the sheer intensity of his comment and her voice caught in her throat as tears burned behind her eyes.

"T-thank you, Mr. Shinogame," she said sincerely, all traces of tears hidden yet well aware of how emotional her voice would sound to him. "I promise I won't let you down. Tell Kuro I say hi, and let everyone know I'm in. I'll see some of them soon enough, I'm sure."

"Of course. Take care, Yumi. I'll be in Domino soon enough. Maybe Kuro will be willing to come with me as well. Give my apologies to Mr. Kaiba. Tell him I have to look out for my best employee."

"Hardly, Mr. Shinogame," she said, smiling gently. "I'll let him know all the same. Tell Kuro I look forward to seeing him, and take care."

"I will. Goodbye Yumi."

"Goodbye, Mr. Shinogame, and thank you."

**Responses to my commentators:**

**Azura Soul Reaver:** Glad you liked it!

**ember-chan:** Of course I won't kill her! She really is her own savior, and she's going to get past whatever bothers her on her own. Kaiba and Yumi are definitely going to be going back and forth for a while. Who do you think will win the ultimate power struggle? As for the game, don't worry. There will be much more about it to come. Tell me what you thought about the phone call!

**supercyco214:** Don't worry. She's not hitting on him. This is still one big power struggle. As for Tsuki's reaction, you'll see! Yumi's first day is going to be very interesting to write, at the very least! :)


	22. Whimsical Wanderings

**Author's Info:** I am approaching 1,500 hits on _Sando No Jigoku_, which has me incredibly excited. I also have _finally_ moved on to "day 3," which happens to be Yumi's first day in Kaiba Corp.! Anyway, life has been a bit hectic, but exciting nonetheless (perhaps a result of too many nights staying up until 5 am?). All of my really good friends have Skype now, which is awesome. We had a four hour conversation, and then I finished updating this chapter! Now to thanks those of you who read/commented/added to favorites: **EgyptianSoul.88**, **FreeXFallXPhoenix**, **Azura ****Soul Reaver**, **yamiyugi4eva**, **Hoshi Hanabi**, **supercyco214**, **Psychotic Pyro ****Fairy**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, and **DarkAngelNeko666**. I'll have specific comments at the end, just like before!

**The "what"s:** Listening to _Kawaita Sakebi_ by FIELD OF DREAMS; _I'm Yours_ by Jason Mraz; _Iris_, _Slide_, and _Black Balloon_ by the Goo Goo Dolls; _The Great Pretender_ by the Jon Frederik Band; _New Divide_ by Linkin Park; _You Know My Name_ by Chris Cornell; and _Step to Me_, _Ordinary_, and _Last Words_ by Thousand Foot Krutch (long list, I know, but fitting). I've been thinking about how excited I am to write about Yumi's first day and about what I'm going to do for Thanksgiving.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, I don't know that I'd ever have time for such entertaining conversations as the one I had earlier today. All the same, I do enjoy writing about them, and I do own the twins, Kuro, Makoto, and Shinji. Enjoy!

_Chapter Twenty-Two_

She heard him hang up and set down the phone next to her laptop. She sighed and cleared her face of emotion before turning to Kaiba and saying, "I'm very sorry about all that. You know how Makoto Shinogame can be. Forgive my rudeness. Now, shall we return to your job proposition?"

"My offer still stands, as is," Kaiba said with a smirk. She scowled as she studied him in hopes he was bluffing, not that he really cared. She would either have to bow down and accept the job he gave her or let her pride get the better of her and refuse the job without knowing if he would ever offer her another. He could see her struggling between the two options. He smirked yet again in amusement.

Yumi knew she was in a bind. She could either accept the job and deal with the blow to her ego, or she could prove Kaiba wouldn't control her in such a way and risk not having a job. She knew what would likely happen in the end, and she was sure Kaiba knew the end result as well; the only question was how long she would be able to hold out against it.

"What would I have to do?" she asked warily, hoping to find out some information that would help her make her decision. She saw his lip quirk in amusement and immediately knew what was to follow.

"Sorry, but I'm only going to explain the details _after_ you sign the contract. No freebies. You'll never make it anywhere in _my_ company with _that_ attitude," he said, mocking her. He could see her face redden in anger and knew he was winning this battle. He was getting under her skin. It wouldn't be long now before she gave in and gave him what he wanted.

"Since when is keeping a job description from an applicant legitimate in the business world, _Mr. _Kaiba?" she asked. "This smells an awful lot like coercion, in my humble opinion."

"I never said you _had_ to accept the job," he pointed out, smirking even more. She was losing badly now, and even she knew it. Her arguments were becoming flimsier by the minute. She glared at him coldly before holding out her hand for the contracts. This was truly his to win; that duel had merely been a matter of luck on her part.

Yumi looked at the contracts and sighed. The last thing she had wanted was to her shot at getting a job at Kaiba Corp. Left with only this option, she realized she would just have to bide her time and wait for a better position. Besides, she realized as she looked over the job description, she would be spending a lot of time with Kaiba. Most of it would just be the two of them working on the same floor together, as she was sure he had no one else working on that floor. That was something he was known for; he wanted no distractions as he worked. Then again, she could appreciate that; she was the same way.

She signed the contracts after looking them over thoroughly for any unexpected and rather unpleasant anomalies. It looked like the job would still leave her plenty of time to work on her project yet still be able to bother him until he realized he would never be able to dominate her no matter how hard he tried. She would never roll over and just let him control her.

"Here are the contracts, signed in full," she said as she handed them back to him. He smirked and took them, noting her conditions, which quickly replaced his smirk with a confused frown. She was asking for an entire month off each year of her employment for a trip to Egypt. Sure she primarily only asked for one day off each week, but to have to wait an entire month to hold her position?

"And what makes you think I'll agree to these conditions?" he asked. "I could just as easily find someone else to take your place."

"You won't replace me because you want someone who is actually completely capable not only of performing the basics, such as keeping you informed during and prior to meetings, but you also want someone who is as capable of working in the technology and dealing with the stupid mistakes of the people you hired to fix the mistakes in the first place. Besides, you never have to question what activities I'm involved in outside work, since I will likely have a very similar schedule as you. We do go to the same school, after all."

Even Kaiba had to admit that was a fairly convincing answer, although he hadn't even been completely sure those were her real answers. He could hear the unspoken challenge in her voice daring him to back out and not hire her. It was as if she knew he wouldn't be able to bring himself to do that.

She looked back at her work for a moment while she waited for him to realize the only way to continue their power game was for him to give her the job. She realized now that might would be the best chance she had to get him to sign on to her game. She looked at him after a moment of silence to see him studying her intently. They continued looking at each other for several moments, neither willing to back down until they both looked at their respective projects.

"I do ask one more thing, Kaiba," she said seriously. "I won't make you do this; all I'm asking is for you to consider it. I want to take my project into the global market, and I'd love to do that through Kaiba Corp. It would broaden your markets in the virtual reality industry, especially since it's also a Duel Monsters related program. I know you're a man of technology, but I'm sure this is a good combination of past and future. Think about how many people that take us back so far in time. Anyway, just please keep my proposal in mind."

"And why should I consider that? What do _I_ gain from introducing _your_ game into _my_ company?" he asked. He did not like the idea of having someone else's idea introduced and sent out with his logo. This was _his_ company, after all.

"Because I'm willing to part with any royalties for the finished product," she said seriously. "I'm also willing to give you a fairly large amount of control over the project. I want to do the work, but I don't mind you telling me what things need to be fixed. In other words, I'm willing to give you control over _my _project_ if_ you're willing to help me get this off the ground." Kaiba noticed how serious she was. She was willing to pass up the claim to the very game she created just so he would sign off on it. He thought she was mad; why put in all of the work only to not gain any sort of recognition for it?

She knew where his mind was going and why he was so confused. She gave him a small smile and said, "Sure, some money for my work is great in idea, but I care more about getting this game out, and I would rather have it get sponsored by a company such as Kaiba Corp. which can handle the game and take it as far as it can possibly go. This game is my ultimate personal project, and I would willingly pass it on to someone who can take my game to a higher level I could not possibly reach on my own. You, of all people, should be able to understand after standing in the shadow of a man such as Gozaburo.

"I surpassed my stepfather," Kaiba snapped, angry at the mere mention of the man. "I have made this company what it is today, no thanks to him."

"Relax, Kaiba," she said. "I'm not supporting the man. In fact, I hated him. I remember what Kaiba Corp. used to be, before you turned it into a gaming company." She looked at her arm and thought about the scar that ran along it. She was grateful Kaiba couldn't see it since it was covered by the dress. He didn't need to know what had happened.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**EgyptianSoul.88:** Well, here's that next chapter! There's still a bit more between now and the first day, but I'd been stuck and it was all I could think about. Don't worry, though; it's coming soon!

**FreeXFallXPhoenix:** Yes, Yumi really is experiencing a karmic backlash at the moment, and she's setting herself up for an epic clash of egos. I'm _very_ glad Kaiba is still in character and that you see the respect between them. It's a bit confusing to explain.

**Azura ****Soul Reaver:** Thanks! Glad you liked it!

**yamiyugi4eva:** Yeah, I didn't realize they had the same name until I was almost finished with the first composition notebook, but by then I was admittedly too lazy to change it. :) As for Kuro, he and Yumi certainly do have a history, but I haven't even really delved into that even in my own mind! The day will certainly come, though, when all of this is brought to light.

**DaAmazingMeepers:** You have to understand that Makoto is one of Kaiba's major suppliers, _and_ that there really isn't anyone with the kind of quality Shinogame Electronics produces. In light of this, and the fact that he knows he created the situation by called for a reference check, I'm fairly certain he somehow, some way, learned the meaning of karma. :)

**DarkAngelNeko666:** Well, here's your next chapter! Hope you liked it!


	23. Enigmatic Explanations

**Author's Info:** Two chapters in just as many days! I really feel productive. I haven't gotten much writing done of the chapters with Yumi's first day, but listening/watching Yu-Gi-Oh episodes involving Kaiba have made me move along a lot faster than I thought possible. I think I'll write a bit more once I have this thing up. I want to thank those of you who read/reviewed, especially **Azura Soul Reaver**, **ember-chan**, and **FreeXFallXPhoenix**. More specific comments after the chapter!

**The "what"s:** Earlier, I was obsessed with Lady Gaga's songs _Bad Romance_, _Poker Face_, _Paparazzi_, _LoveGame_, and _Just Dance_ (and before yesterday I didn't even like her).Now, I'm going through from the beginning of season one and watching/listening to episodes containing Kaiba as I go along. I'm realizing it actually inspired me to update quickly _and_ want to write more when I was feeling too lazy to do so just a few hours ago. Does that make this sad, or is this a wonderful revelation? What do you think?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, I don't know where I'd find the inspiration for all this. It's so different from Sharon and Shawn, where I can base it off my own experiences and my love of vampire lore. I'm not exactly sure how they do it. As it stands, I _do_ own Yumi, Tsuki, Makoto, and Kuro, as well as the current plotline.

**Extra Note:** This is the last of the Yumi-centric chapters. Next chapter is entirely Tsuki based.

_Chapter Twenty-Three_

Kaiba had noticed she was staring a particular place on her arm. Without bothering to ask for permission, he took her arm and pulled up the sleeve. His eyes widened as he noticed a long scar that ran along her forearm. He frowned as he traced it lightly with his finger. The edges weren't raised, and it wasn't the most noticeable of scars, but the scar was paler than the rest of the skin around it. He felt her shift uncomfortably under his grip, causing him to look at her face questioningly. He heard her draw in a shaky breath and waited for her to tell him.

"I was visiting my mother's family in Egypt. I was twelve, and my father took me another of his excavations. My mother and Tsuki had decided to stay in Tokyo, so it was just the two of us. One day I went to visit my great-grandfather, and he took me to a town near an ancient tomb the archeologists weren't allowed to visit. He was going to take me to visit it that night, but, suddenly, everything changed. I didn't know why, but all of a sudden tanks and soldiers appeared in the town and began firing at some of the people in the village. My great-grandfather and I got separated in the madness. I kept calling out to him, but I couldn't find him anywhere. I panicked.

"Then a boy grabbed my arm, telling me I had to follow him quickly. I ran after him to wherever he was trying to lead me, but we were caught. They grabbed the boy who had helped me; apparently he was one of the people they had been looking for. I tried to stop them, but all I managed to do was anger one of the men. He slashed at me, aiming for my chest. I managed to move just enough that he only got my arm. The blade must have been poisoned; a development your stepfather was known for.

"I remember screaming in pain and knocking over the guard that was holding me. In the confusion, the boy managed to slip away. I don't know what happened to him after that; all I remember was they suddenly began yelling for them to retreat. I think it had something to do with the leader having escaped. Then I blacked out.

"I woke up in a hospital in Cairo. My great-grandfather was there, as was my father. I tried to find out what had happened, but Father didn't know and my great-grandfather went silent whenever I asked him. It wasn't until his death two years ago that I found out the meaning of the attack."

Kaiba scowled and waited for her to continue. He grew annoyed as she continued to stare off, lost in her own world. Impatient and increasingly irritated, he realized he would get no answer unless he shook her out of her reverie. "And just what, exactly, were they after?" he asked.

Startled out of her reverie, she looked at him and said, "There was a family there who was just as old as mine. They were the ones who were supposed to lead me into the tomb, but some of their family had apparently become rather radical. They wanted to return to the days in which the land of Egypt was ruled by the Pharaoh, and they believed that one of their own should be Pharaoh, given their ancient ancestry. The government, as well as a few others groups, began seeing them as a threat, one that had to be entirely eradicated. It didn't matter to them that not all of the family supported this idea; they shared the same blood, and all threats _must be eliminated_."

Kaiba frowned. He could see the bitter look that came into her eyes as she said that. Her eyes returned to the screen where her project was. He wondered why she suddenly refused to look at him and realized that may have been directed at more than just the military attack. After all, the saying wasn't just used in the military world; it was a common saying in the business world. He decided to test that out y saying, "If you're such a technologically advanced person, why not attempt to create your own company? You seem to understand how to operate a company and you have all the technological expertise necessary. Why not free yourself and make your own?"

"Because I am not one who wants to live my life in the cutthroat competitive marker. I prefer working for another company that I feel is worth working for. Besides, if I suddenly entered the gaming industry and came out with games in a field where you singularly dominate, wouldn't you start feeling threatened, _especially_ if I had technology that competed on even footing with yours? Once you felt that way, you would be compelled to do exactly what these men did: eliminate the competition. After my experiences, would you really expect me to take such an attitude myself?"

Kaiba knew he had been right in his assumptions. She may be a good businesswoman, but she despised the way men like him worked to keep themselves on top. She was someone who would be of certain use to him; she _was_ trained for it. Besides, Makoto Shinogame had admitted to her skills in business dealings. Apparently the only reason she had never been in business dealing with Kaiba Corp. was because she was often working on any potential complications for the sale of the products he was ordering and ensuring the products would be compatible with his holographic systems. She took the gaming compatibility very seriously, and that was the only possible reason they hadn't met.

She sighed and looked at her game once more before closing the program. As she reached out to put her pen back in place, her gaze fell to the scar which had remained uncovered. She thought once more of the boy who had helped her. She wondered if he was somehow related to the very man who had called her the Great Pharaoh's Amunshem. After all, they would be about the same age now.

Kaiba scowled when he noticed she had once again lapsed into her own thoughts. Still, he had been surprised to hear she had been experience with his stepfather's war technology. He remembered what Kaiba Corp. has been before he took control. His gaze drifted to her scar as well, until he realized he hadn't yet signed the contracts of her employment. With a flourish, he produced a pen and signed his name.

"Other than this excavation business, is there any other particular information I should know?" Kaiba asked, wanting to end this as quickly as possible, especially after the unpleasant reminder of his stepfather and the things he had done to others.

"Nothing that would require extra time or attention," she said. "You know enough of my habits by now, since the excavation and occasional duels are the primary things that take up lengthy or unexpected time periods. As for any sort of hours, I'm willing to be flexible. No doubt Shinogame told you about my work habits. Given your personality, I'd be willing to guess you're the same way. So long as you respect my day off and you give me the time for the excavation, I will work whatever hours you need me to. Pay and vacations are as outlined, I'm sure, and I don't feel any need to debate that."

Kaiba just stared at her for a moment before nodding. He _had_ heard from Shinogame that he would never have to worry about her work ethic. She was known for frequently working late hours and for putting her all into her work. He could see that in the praise they had concerning the prowess of her technology, and he guessed that was probably why he hadn't thought twice about signing her contracts.

"I expect to see you at work in two days," he said. He gathered his things and stood to leave. He heard movement behind her and saw she was also standing up. He looked at her in confusion before realizing she was following him out.

"Thank you, Kaiba," she said. "I know my request seems rather odd to you, especially since there's no reason in your mind for me to act as I have, but I'm sure you'll come to appreciate having me come and work for you. I know what Makoto probably told you, and I hope you aren't disappointed with the result."

**Responses to my commentators:**

**Azura Soul Reaver:** Glad you like it!

**ember-chan:** Haha, I'm glad you like Shinogame; he's a very interesting person. As for Yumi's predicament, it _is_ rather amusing. As for the joke, I will admit it was rather punny :) So, what did you think of the explanation for Yumi's scar? As for my Friday the 13th, I found it very enjoyable, as I find all Friday the 13ths. I hope yours was good as well.

**FreeXFallXPhoenix:** Yumi really did learn her place for a change. Kaiba needed a way to exact his own revenge after all. :) I'm glad you like the dynamics between the two. As for the cliffhanger, it was honestly the best place to stop. Now you have the explanation! Hope you found it suitable.


	24. Jaded Judge

**Author's Info:** Yay updates! I realize this sounds incredibly fake and cliche, but I'm not joking when I say that reviews/comments make me _want_ to update quickly. If I feel like people really care about this story and its progress, then I want to do more with it. Anyway, this entire chapter focuses on Tsuki; there will be no Yumi. She will be back for the next chapter, though. Right after the cliffhanger! Anyway, I really want to thank **Azura Soul Reaver**, **FreeXFallXPhoenix**, **James Birdsong**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, **yamiyugi4eva**, **ember-chan**, **Vanadesse Meldiriel**, and **DarkFlame Alchemist**. You guys really are more motivation than you know, so check out after the chapter for more specific comments!

**The "what"s:** Listening to a compilation of new music I've bought within the last month and thinking about the fact that I have three hours to read a chapter and write a one page paper on it. Haha, that's what I get for procrastination. Good thing I don't put deadlines on updates for this, right? Wish me luck!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. If I did, I would be horrible at completing papers on time. I can only the use the 'I got distracted, but I've been a good student so far' excuse once or twice. As it stands, I do own Yumi, Tsuki, Kuro, and all other OCs, as well as the current plotline.

**Extra note:** If you want to get a slight idea of what Yumi looks like (with the dress), I have actually attempted to draw her and put it as my new profile picture. Check it out and tell me what you think.

_Chapter Twenty-Four_

"I guess I should really get going," Tsuki said reluctantly. She saw Joey and Tristan get ready to offer to walk with her and remembered the night before. She sighed, resigned to the idea of having them walk with her again, but was surprised to hear Yugi speak.

"I'll take you home, Tsuki," he offered. He was rather curious about, and he wanted to find to more about her and her sister. After all, Tsuki did seem more likely to talk to him about things in their family, and that would be even more likely if they were alone together. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact she said her sister trusted her. After all, Tsuki didn't seem to have noticed him much until Yumi had started holding conversations with him, and with Yami.

Admittedly, even Yami was curious about the two sisters. Although Yumi seemed to have been the only one of the two to have noticed his presence, he felt a tug toward this sister. After all, she _had_ willingly spoken to them alone about personal issues for her and her sister, and they seemed to share some sort of strong bond. He wondered what the twins' connections to him and his partner were, and why he felt an especially close bond with Tsuki.

"Sure, Yugi," she said, relieved to be going with someone other than Joey or Tristan. She turned to the others and cheerily waved goodbye. "See you guys in school tomorrow!" she said, turning to the door and making her way out, Yugi following her closely.

She decided to wait a few moments for them to gain enough comfort walking beside one another before asking, "Any particular reason why you decided to walk me home?" She was incredibly curious as to why he, of all people, would offer to walk her home. She hadn't expected him to walk home with her, especially since he and Tea seemed rather close to one another. Still, this _would_ give her the chance to get to know him better, especially since she was curious about what had attracted her sister to him.

"I just thought you might want some company," Yugi said, flushing slightly in embarrassment. "I doubted you wanted Joey and Tristan to walk you home again, so I figured I might as well offer. Besides, I was hoping you, Yumi, and I can talk some; I overheard you and Yumi say she had gone home to set up the games."

"Thanks for the offer, Yugi; it's really sweet of you, but I'm pretty sure Yumi will want to do all of that herself," Tsuki admitted sheepishly. "She's pretty particular about the programs and how they're set up. She wouldn't even let _Kuro_ touch the programs she's created, and he's a tech genius in his own right. Maybe he's not quite as good as Yumi, but he definitely takes after his father. Sometimes he helps me out with my own systems, especially when I somehow mess it up," she said, laughing a little. "I'm not stupid when it comes to technology, but even the best can mess up a program or two."

"Kuro?" Yugi asked, rather confused. He wondered if he was one of Yumi's friends, but he couldn't be certain.

"He's Yumi's best friend; he still lives in Tokyo, and he's the son of Yumi's former boss, Makoto Shinogame. It was Makoto who introduced the two of them; I think it was at one of his annual parties. They're really close, and I'm even willing to bet Kuro really likes her. Yumi always denies that there's anything going on between them, though, and he usually seems bummed whenever she says that. That's why I'm sure he wouldn't mind her noticing him that way, but he's too realistic to try; my sister doesn't notice any guy that way."

"Your sister has never had a boyfriend?" Yugi asked, surprised. It seemed as though many people who managed to get close enough to Yumi grew to like her, even though those numbers were incredibly few. Still, he wondered what the possibilities were for those who got close to her, and he wondered what would happen as the two of them got closer.

"She almost did," Tsuki admitted, "but we don't really talk about it. She met him in the Tomb Robbers circuit shortly before becoming Pharaoh's Guardian. Things were going really well, and you could tell they really cared about each other, but then everything changed. There were a lot of things that shook up our family, but I don't think anyone was more affected than Yumi. My sister fell apart and he left. Now we try to avoid him as much as possible; Yumi still has a hard time facing him. I think she remembers how things used to be and wishes she could go back and change what happened. She knows it's impossible, though."

Yugi knew there was a lot more to the story than she had told him, but he didn't push her to tell him anything more. He knew one of them would tell him when they felt it was the right time, and he wasn't going to lose their trust by pushing for something they were not willing to give. He gave her a few minutes to think in silence before trying to spark another conversation. "Are you going to join any clubs while you're here?" he asked finally.

"Actually, I was considering joining choir, or even theatre. I used to do more with singing and acting, but I fell out of it. I guess I just got in with the wrong people. Yumi was the one who got me out of that crowd, much as I hate to admit it. Now that I'm here, though, I figured it would be better if I tried doing things I enjoyed again and stayed away from anyone who might bring me trouble."

"That's great!" Yugi said. "I'm sure you'll be amazing. I hope I get to hear you sing sometime soon!" He was sure that even though she wasn't pursuing a job or devoting all her time to her activities, Tsuki was someone who worked hard and tried to do her best in everything she did. The two sisters may have a considerable number of differences, but their similarities were even more surprising as they slowly revealed themselves.

"Thanks, Yugi," she said gratefully. "I'm a little nervous about getting back into my old activities, since it's been so long and all. It kind of makes me jealous of Yumi. Sure, she's always got _something_ going on, but she's dedicated to everything she does. She works, gets amazing grades, and she was on the debate team and event committees in Tokyo. Everyone in the excavations and the circuits respects her, and nobody has ever questioned whether she would become a good friend if she got close to them. She's _always_ in control and she always seems to be able to balance everything."

"I'm sure she has her share of problems too," Yugi said reassuringly. "You just don't always see her struggling. Besides, you have _plenty_ of good qualities of your own. You get along well with everyone, you can always find something in common with even the most remote of people, you're willing to try new challenges, you put your heart into everything you do, you care about people, and you always try your hardest even when it looks like you might fail. No one else can be Yumi, just like no one else can be you. You just have to be happy with who you are."

"Thanks, Yugi," she said, feeling tears threatening to well. She couldn't help but think about how sweet his comments were. "I guess I just never really thought about it that way before. Yumi _does_ have a lot of problems; she's just very good at hiding them from people, even people she loves. I just have to think about my _own_ good points, not the ones I wish I had." She had to admit he was very thoughtful. Sure, he was rather shy, but he obviously really cared about people, which was an admirable quality in anyone.

Yugi was glad she was starting to show more appreciation for her own talents and abilities. He knew fist-hand what it was like to doubt his own abilities and let his shyness get in the way. He didn't want her to feel like she wasn't any good just because her sister was already actively pursuing what she wanted for her life. Tsuki would know what she wanted in time; there was no rush.

Yami agreed with his partner. Although Tsuki may still be trying to find her place in life, she wasn't as far off or lost as she believed. Yumi was a person who was dedicated to her goals and duties in life. The people that were close to her were fewer as a result; she saw her duties as being far more important, while Tsuki saw meeting people and making new friends as a higher priority. In the end, both were simply pursuing the things they loved in a search to find out who they truly were.

Tsuki saw they were getting close to her home and sighed. She was really enjoying Yugi's company and did not want it to end so soon. She wanted to find out more about him, t find out what he was _really_ like under the surface. Them, getting an idea, she said, "Hey, Yugi, that thing around your neck, what is it?"

"This?" Yugi asked, his hand going to the Millennium Puzzle. When she nodded, he said, "It's called the Millennium Puzzle. My grandpa found it in an ancient Egyptian tomb while he was visiting. I managed to put it together about a year ago. I made a wish on it and I've been keeping it with me ever since."

"Wait, did you say Millennium Puzzle?" she asked incredulously. She remembered Yumi doing some sort of research on something like it after they had gotten back from their last visit to Egypt. Something the guy had said had her curious; he had said it had something to do with the Great Pharaoh. "That wouldn't happen to be one of the Millennium Items, would it?" she asked, suddenly remembering the name.

"How do you know about the Millennium Items?" Yugi asked, astonished. He hadn't expected her to know about the Items, and the fact she could identify it made him wonder just how much she actually knew.

"I just remember Yumi doing research on it just after we got back from our last trip to Egypt. She was at it for weeks nonstop. When I tried to ask her about it, she just told me she wanted to find out the truth about the Items and their connection to the Shadow Games. She told me she had heard about them in a duel, and that she was pretty sure they had something to do with the Great Pharaoh. She refused to tell me anything else; she said it wasn't for me to get involved in such things, and Dad doesn't know much at all about the Millennium Items. He refuses to ask Yumi anything about it, too; he says it's for her to decide to tell us, especially if it's something she learned from someone in the circuits."

"So you really don't know anything about the Millennium Items?" Yugi asked, slightly disappointed. He had been hoping to find out more about them, but it seemed the only one of all of them who knew anything was Yumi. It made him wonder why she was hiding so much about what she knew from her family. What had Yumi gotten involved in during her time in the circuits, and why was it so important to keep her family from knowing anything about it?

"No, but Yumi could probably tell you more about it," she said as they stopped at the entrance of her house. She was vaguely aware of a limo parked nearby, but she ignored it. "You can always come in and ask her. I'm sure she'd be willing to take a short break from working on the game room to talk about it with you, since you obviously possess one of them. She'll probably have plenty of things to tell you, as well as questions."

Yugi remembered the night before, when he had been alone with Yumi in the card shop. She had easily recognized that he possessed the Millennium Puzzle, and she had already known Yami was there. He wasn't exactly sure how she'd gotten her information, but she was clearly already well informed even if she hadn't really told him anything.

Tsuki unlocked the door and opened it. She stopped inside and motioned for him to follow, but she didn't get far before stopping dead in her tracks at the sight in front of her.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**Azura Soul Reaver:** Glad you like it! Is there anything in particular that you like?

**FreeXFallXPhoenix:** Ah, suspense, don't you love it? Where would a good story be if everything was completely and glaringly obvious? I certainly hope to develop more with the boy later on, but there's so much in the meantime.

**James Birdsong:** Glad you think it's cool. Hope you enjoy this one!

**DaAmazingMeepers:** It really does sound painful, doesn't it? I suppose it's only one more reason for Yumi's cynicism with people and the business world.

**yamiyugi4eva:** I certainly plan on bringing him back later! I just keep introducing new characters in these past few chapters, don't I? Well, things will slow down on new characters shortly, or so I think :) Most of my writing is done on the fly, so I can't promise anything.

**ember-chan:** I wouldn't call it lame :) I thought it would be fitting, though, for Yumi to understand the transformation of Kaiba Corp. Besides, it _is_ something Gozaburo Kaiba would fund, and it gets under Kaiba's skin. So, what did you think of Tsuki's chapter? It's longer than usual as a result.


	25. Surprise Stay

**Author's Note:** Sorry it's taken so long, everybody! Life has had a _lot_ of unexpected surprises! I was going to update last Friday, but I got invited to a movie by some friends (give you one guess which), and then Saturday had me running around, and then vacation started Monday, which meant driving. Plus there's the fact I debuted a new story, _The Void Between Our Worlds_, which happens to be Kingdom Hearts based. I hope to update that as well as _Destinies of the Divine Descendants_ tomorrow (I know it's been a long time since I updated). Thanks for your patience, and thanks to all of you who read/messaged/etc., especially **FreeXFallXPhoenix**, **Shiningheart of ThunderClan**, **ember-chan**, **Azura Soul Reaver**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, and **yamiyugi4eva**. As before, look at the end for more specific comments.

**The "what"s:** Listening to Yu-Gi-Oh episodes with Kaiba in them as I update. You'd be amazed at how much this helps me. Thinking about how awesome my Thanksgiving was and how busy life has been/will be over the past/next few weeks. I may not be able to update again after this until a week from today. Thanks for the patience!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I don't know how to juggle my time _that_ effectively, and I've kinda been enjoying engaging in some intelligent debates, which have been lacking as of late. I _do_ own Yumi, Tsuki, Shinji, and all other OCs, as well as the current plot. Enjoy!

_Chapter Twenty-Five_

"Thank you, Kaiba," Tsuki heard her sister say. "I know my request seems rather odd to you, especially since there's no reason in your mind for me to act as I have, but I'm sure you'll come to appreciate having me come and work for you. I know what Makoto probably told you, and I hope you aren't disappointed with the result."

"Yumi," she said somewhat menacingly, making her sister look over in surprise, "what is _he_ doing here?" She was still angry with the way he had treated her sister, and seeing him in her own home, her private sanctuary, didn't make things any better. She noticed the cold way he regarded herm which only served to further her irritation.

"Kaiba and I were signing the contracts for my employment. I am now officially an employee of Kaiba Corp." Yumi's voice remained cool as she spoke despite her annoyance with her sister's rudeness. Just because they had not gotten into Kaiba's good graces did not mean they could behave inappropriately. Then she noticed Yugi enter behind her sister and smiled. "Yugi! I did not expect to see you here again today. Did you walk my sister home?" She smiled more when she saw him flush and nod shyly. "Thanks for ensuring my navigationally challenged little sister reached our humble abode safely."

"Ah, Tsuki's home," her father said, entering the room. Tsuki was one of the only people Yumi greeted with such sarcastic insults. When he saw Tsuki glaring at her, he chuckled. Some things wouldn't change, no matter what happened through the years, and this was one of them.  
Welcome home, Tsuki. How was your day?" he asked kindly.

"It was great, until now," she said, glowering at her sister once again for allowing this intrusion to their sanity. "I was hanging out with friends after Yumi's duel. By the way, Dad, this is Yugi Mutou; he's a friend of mine, as well as Yumi. He walked me home, and we got to talking about ancient Egypt. He had a few questions, so I thought I'd invite him inside; that way he can ask you.

"Did you say Mutou?" Shinji asked. "Are you Solomon Mutou's grandson? I've heard a lot about you. He spoke quite fondly of you, and you have apparently become quite the duelist since I'd last spoken with him. Yumi has spoken of you; she watches the tournaments quite extensively. I often wonder why she hasn't made the jump to pro herself."

"I told you Father; I'm quite content with the circuits I'm currently involved with, and I certainly get enough dueling experience as it is. I don't _need_ professionals taking up even _more_ time in my already too-short day."

"I suppose you're right," he said, chuckling. "You're as busy as I am, and you're only a student! No matter, I'm sure you'll find a way to properly balance your time. As for you, Tsuki how was the duel in your opinion? I heard that Yumi has finally been defeated at her favorite game. That must have been quite the sight for you."

"Of course it was," she said cheekily, glancing at her sister as she did. She wasn't exactly sure why Yumi had lied to Dad, but she knew Yumi wouldn't lie without a good reason. "You should have seen the look on her face," she added with a smirk. "You would have thought the world had ended."

"It wasn't that bad," Yumi said, annoyed by that embellishment of hers. "Kaiba is a tough opponent, so I knew it was a possibility for me to lose. It's not like losing to Tsuki, where losing is a fluke; this was an honorable defeat."

"Glad to hear you're not sore about it. Now, I must admit I am rather hungry. Do any of you want anything to eat?" he asked, looking especially at the guests of his daughters. He had to admit he was rather amused. Yumi and Kaiba had taken similar facial expressions and body postures when the sisters had bantered. The same was true of Tsuki and Yugi. He wondered how it was those two had managed to find such similar counterparts in such a short amount of time. Perhaps it was the will of the gods, or perhaps it was chance. If it _was_ the will of the gods, he wondered what they could possibly have in store for his daughters and hoped it would ultimately bring them what they most needed in their lives.

"Sorry, Dad, but Yumi, Yugi, and I already ate," Tsuki said apologetically. Although she hadn't added it out loud, she had a feeling Kaiba would be too stuck up to eat her father's food, even if it was some of the best food they had ever eaten. She felt incredibly guilty at her dad's dejected look; she loved him, and hated to make him feel bad.

"Father, why don't you make yourself dinner and I'll make my famous dessert?" Yumi suggested in an attempt to placate him. "That way, if Yugi and Kaiba wish, they can still join us for some food." She, too, felt incredibly guilty for bursting their father's mood. Her father, sister, and her had once rarely ever been home together, and they now made it a point to eat dinner together at least a couple times a week. Between her work, their father's late hours in the office, and Tsuki's social life, there wasn't much they could do together without intentionally planning it. It was the only way to ensure there was any chance of maintaining close family ties.

"What happened to working on the game room?" Tsuki teased, earning a glare from her sister. "You're never going to get it done if you keep rescheduling it for another time just so you can hang out or bake desserts."

"I _will_ get it done, _after_ I make the dessert," Yumi said, scowling heavily. "I have all night to work on that. Besides, we still have guests and I haven't made time for making a dessert in quite some time. Even if I have to postpone the room for tomorrow, I wouldn't consider this even the slightest waste of time."

"You really don't have to do anything on my account," Yugi said, feeling sheepish and embarrassed. He knew Yumi had been looking forward to working on the game room, and he didn't want to do anything to delay it. Even if she enjoyed baking, it wasn't her true passion, and she should be able to do what she considered most important.

"It's really not a problem at all, Yugi," she said, smiling reassuringly. "Besides, I'd actually been considering making it sometime soon. This just happened to be really good timing. Still, you don't have to stay and eat it with us if you don't want to. I'm sure Father or I can answer your questions first, especially if you need to get going."

"A-alright, I'll stay," Yugi said, convinced she really wasn't bothered by the prospect of making the dessert and postponing work on her game room. She also seemed rather willing to answer the questions he had for her about the Millennium Items and ancient Egypt, which was a relief.

"And what about you, Mr. Kaiba?" Shinji asked, turning to him. "Will you be joining us as well? Yumi is quite the cook, and this is one of her signature dishes." The truth was that he really wanted to find out more about this man who would soon become her boss. This seemed to be the best way to begin to get some insight into his personality. After all, not only was he apparently about to become her boss, but he was also her peer and her classmate. Her dynamic with him would be completely different from anything either of them was used to, and he was curious as to how it would all turn out. Yugi, he could see, was a good person, and he was sure she would prove a good influence on Tsuki, especially when Yumi wasn't around to look after her sister.

Kaiba wasn't pleased at being directly addressed by their father. He knew he could no longer just quietly slip away while they had their precious chat. He thought about his options for a moment. On the one hand, he could return to his work at his mansion and get that much father on his new duel disk technology. On the other hand, he could use this as a chance to find out more about Yumi and possibly learn new ways to get under her skin. He had to admit the second option seemed rather tempting; Mokuba was always telling him he needed to get out more; this would be his way of appeasing his brother as well.

"Father, I'm sure Kaiba has to get back to work—"

"I'll stay," Kaiba said suddenly, smirking when he saw her displeased expression. "After all, I _am_ rather curious if her cooking and baking skills are as good as your say they are. I've been in rather desperate need of something sweet to eat, and my tastes are quite picky." He knew right then that he had made the right choice. His duel disk would still be there when he returned to the Kaiba mansion, but an opportunity such as this would be rare and he should make the most of them.

"Very well," Yumi said, sighing internally. "I guess I'd better go and start preparing it, shouldn't I? If you'll excuse me, I'll go and get started right away." She went into the kitchen and began getting the supplies she would need for the dessert. She sighed quietly and allowed her shoulders to slump slightly. She was quite aware of the reason Kaiba had chosen to stay and eat dessert with them. This certainly made things far more awkward and difficult for her, and there was nothing she could do about it.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**FreeXFallXPhoenix:** I'm glad you like the dynamics between Yugi and Tsuki. What did you think of Tsuki and Yumi's reactions to their invasion of sanctuary? Was it worth the suspense of seeing her reaction?

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan:** Haha, you really did have a good idea of where I was going with it. Hopefully it was amusing and not disappointing. There was some bickering there too, so I hope you found it as entertaining now as you had before.

**ember-chan:** Well, Yumi's back! Hope it was a good return, and don't worry about Yugi and Yumi talking. It'll happen eventually. :) Glad you like Tsuki and Yugi together!

**Azura Soul Reaver:** Glad you like the overall story! Do you have any character you're leaning toward?

**DaAmazingMeepers: **Haha, was the suspense worthwhile? Hope you enjoyed it!

**yamiyugi4eva:** Please don't die! Sometimes suspense helps me know where I can effectively divide up my chapters. They're not marked in my written text. Hope you liked it!


	26. Deserved Desserts

**Author's Info:** I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. Life has been insane since last time. Between things with friends, Thanksgiving, a short-lived crush, and now finals, life is taking its own toll. I will be done with finals after this week, thankfully, and I have a bunch of ideas for where I'm going to go, not only with this story, but with _The Void Between our Worlds_ and another story I started over a year ago and developed a new-found passion for (it's a crossover between Yu Yu Hakusho and Inuyasha called _Legends of Moonlight Beauty_). Thanks to all of you who read/favorited/messaged me, especially **Jade the Grey**, **Azura Soul Reaver**, **ember-chan**, **Shiningheart of ThunderClan**, **yamiyugi4eva**, **Emily the evil one**, **Triva**, and **DaAmazingMeepers**. Thank you so much for your patience. I promise I will update faster as soon as this week is over. More specific comments after.

**The "what"s:** I've been listening to music that gets me pumped for studying. Lately, this means _Down_ by Jay Sean, _Fireflies_ by Owl City, _Sober_ by P!nk,_ Poker Face_ by Lady GaGa, and a few others. The only things going through my mind are things pertaining to finals or to my friends that I spend pretty much every minute studying with. It's chaos and confusion and then video games until my fingers bleed.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and that's probably a good thing, since updates would be reliant upon life _not_ deciding to play games with my head and then stress me out. All the same, I do own the twins, their father, and other OCs, as well as the current plotline.

**Extra Note:** Sorry about all the errors in the previous chapter. I rushed on that one, and it shows.

_Chapter Twenty-Six_

"Perhaps someone should help her. Yumi does rather like doing things on her own, but this will be much easier for her if she has help," Shinji hinted. He wanted to see if one of the two guys would go and help her, and he wanted an excuse to see how his daughters reacted to these men. He knew that it often wasn't the initial or even the conscious reactions one had to a person that determined how they would ultimately interact, but the subtle and subconscious reactions that could only be recognized if you knew to look for them.

Tsuki just looked at her father and sighed. She knew her father was trying to find out more about the guys she and her sister had brought home. She was also sure this was his way of pushing her into the kitchen so she wouldn't be able to intervene when he began questioning them. He had done so with all their friends in Tokyo, after all, especially the ones Yumi hung out with. Still, her going in there would just lead to her watching Yumi as she made the dessert. Sure, she did that most of the time when Yumi was cooking anyway, but that was more so she and her sister could talk than it was for her to help. Yumi was one of the most stubborn, independent-minded people she'd ever known. Besides, knowing Yumi, she had a lot on her mind at the moment and wouldn't want to talk much. She's rather be left alone.

Kaiba, on the other hand, had noticed how her father had directed his gaze at all three of them. He was clearly waiting to see who would offer to help her. No doubt he was trying to get an insight into their personalities by seeing who would accept. Still, this presented him with an interesting opportunity, and he knew which of these people he'd much rather spend his time with while he was stuck there.

"I'll help her," he said, inwardly smirking at the looks of shock on Yugi and Tsuki's faces. He turned and went into the room he had seen Yumi go into, ignoring the grin on her father's face. He walked in to see Yumi trying to reach something on a higher shelf, but there were things in the way and he knew she was just short enough she'd never be able to reach it. He rolled his eyes and went over to grab the pan with ease. He smirked when he saw her look over, no doubt to thank him, only to freeze in shock instead.

"Kaiba, what are you doing in here? I'm busy right now," she said irritably once she had regained her composure. She took the pan from him and went back to the counter where she had begun preparing the dough. "I can't afford to be distracted, so if you would please just return to the—"

"Yumi, why don't you let Kaiba help you?" he father asked as he walked into the kitchen. He had a feeling Yumi would try to push Kaiba out, so he figured he may as well ensure she wouldn't pull such a stunt. "He _was_ the one that offered to help you, after all. I knew you could use some help, so I asked. This is a rather time-consuming dessert to make on your own, after all." He grinned when she glared at him. His daughter was well known for being stubborn and fiercely independent; she needed nudging, sometimes even shoving, to get her to accept anyone's help, especially after her mother . . .

Yumi sighed as she realized what was going through her father's mind and the pain she must be causing him. "I'm sorry, Father. You're right; I _am_ being rather stubborn." Turning to Kaiba, she said, "Please forgive my rudeness. I was not aware you had offered to help me." She handed him a bowl. "If I give you the ingredients and their measurements, can you mix the dough? It has to be done by hand to be at its best, and that can get rather tiring when there are other things to be done as well."

Kaiba noticed the satisfied look on her father's face as he grabbed himself something to eat and left the room. Clearly he had only been there to ensure Yumi would not try to kick him out once again. He looked back to Yumi, who was beginning to peel and core apples. She had a thoughtful expression on her face, and her eyes betrayed the fact her thoughts were far from the present situation.

"Finally decided to return to your own planet?" he said mockingly, effectively snapping her attention back to the moment. She scowled; he smirked. He knew he had the upper hand, after all.

"I'm sorry I'm actually capable of having things on my mind other than figures and programs," she snapped. "Some of us like to think about things that concern us, especially once we've reached the confines of our own home." She shoved the bowl toward him, as well as an exact list of ingredients he hadn't even seen her write, and indicated he needed to start immediately. "And don't be harsh when you start mixing it. You need to mix it slowly and smoothly, or the dough won't turn out right."

She returned to the remainder of the apples as Kaiba began to measure out the ingredients. She had been very precise in her measurements, which Kaiba could appreciate. It was easy for a man of figures to determine the amounts correctly. She felt him looking at her again as she began cooking the apples in a syrup she'd made and sighed quietly. She didn't want to fight right now. In truth, she just wanted a few moments where she wouldn't have to keep up this façade. Turning to him, she said, "Thank you, for helping me. I'm sorry I snapped at you. The last thing I need to do is start getting angry and taking my frustrations out on others for things I've done." She was completely sincere with him; she had no reason to lie. She wouldn't become like _her_, no matter what.

Kaiba stared at her in shock. Earlier today, and even a few moments ago, she had been mocking him constantly, but now she was apologizing for her actions. What exactly was with this girl? She was constantly changing every time he engaged with her, and he wasn't sure how to react to her fluctuating moods.

She couldn't help but laugh at his expression. "I guess I do seem a bit bipolar at the moment, but not all of us are as capable of being as stone cold as you. I'm not used to being around anyone but my family or the Shinogames at this time of night. I prefer to take this time to reminisce and contemplate about everything that's happened, and I spend a lot more time alone when I do. It's easier to think that way, and I can start asking myself questions about who I am, things that happened during the day, what's important to me, or anything else that happens to come to mind.

"The truth is that often, when I work late, I spend my time thinking. I like the quiet, and I like being able to think about more than just machines and petty conversations. There is so much more to life than just numbers and figures, or fashion and fame. I don't care about being wealthy or associating with people of power; I just want to do the things that I love and work with people who share a similar passion for it. Careful, Kaiba, you're mixing it too hard," she warned as she glanced over at him.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**Azura Soul Reaver:** I'm glad you like those three so much. Hope you like this twist in Yumi's character.

**ember-chan:** Glad it made you laugh. I realize this one is a bit more serious, but don't worry; Yugi will get his explanation eventually. As for the dessert, I will give a cookie to whoever figures it out.

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan:** Yes, you were right. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to update. I hope it was worthwhile.

**yamiyugi4eva:** I'm glad him staying amused you. Then again, Kaiba is a man who likes to aggravate his opponent. I wonder how exactly this will end up working against Yumi.

**Triva:** I really appreciate your thoughts on the plot and character development. It's also a great pleasure to know the words are like a dance. I actually do have such a thing in mind when I think about their dialogue. The song I listen to is called _Requiem for a Dream_. I think it fits perfectly.

**DaAmazingMeepers:** Once I reveal the name of it, if you haven't tried it, you really should. It is amazing, and not that difficult to find. If you can guess its name before I reveal it, I'll give a reward.


	27. Selfish Savior

**Author's Info:** Finally, an update! I am _so sorry_ it is taking me so long to put out updates. I have been letting video games and family take a bit of precedence, as I don't get much time to play them. I will be away from these thing for over two months in a few days. I'm sure you understand. I also just recently got some ideas for some of these stories, and it's been hard to juggle all of them. I promise things will get better soon, though! I want to thank everyone who read/commented, especially **Shiningheart of ThunderClan**, **Azura Soul Reaver**, **Jade the Grey**, **UltimateYugiohFan**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, **yamiyugi4eva**, **MickyMcMuffinx3**, **musicismyhero**, **kitsune light**, **TsuKaza**, and **toricahill1978**. As always more comments after. Hope you can forgive the delay!

**The "what"s:** Listening to _Desert Rose_ by Sting, _It's All Been Done_ by Barenaked Ladies, _Black Balloon _by Goo Goo Dolls, and others. Thinking about how awesome it will be to go back, and how good it feels to be writing again.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but I _do_ own the twins and the other OCs, as well as the current plot. Please enjoy.

_Chapter Twenty-Seven_

Kaiba slowed down his pace and looked at the mixture. He wondered why this required such slow methods; he could have had this done some time ago if he had been allowed to use an electric mixer. He looked over at her to see she was still working with the apples. He frowned and thought about what her mind could possibly have focused on, since it clearly wasn't what was in front of her. For him, there wasn't anything that meant more to him than his company, except for his brother. What _she_ considered important, however, was a complete mystery to him.

"Thank you," she said, coming over to take the dough when it was finished. As she began rolling it out, she looked over at him thoughtfully. "If it's any consolation, having an ice-cold heart is a good thing; you don't get hurt. Still, I probably wouldn't want to be that way when I lose. Much as I loved seeing the expression of shock and horror on your face when I defeated you, I have no desire to utterly strip you of your pride. I give you my word that I won't mention your defeat to anyone, but don't think this means I won't remind you if you take things too far," she warned. The playful glint was in her eyes once again, and she was smiling with a coy expression that maddened him.

"And what makes you think you have any sort of control over me? I'm _your_ boss, not the other way around," he said, annoyance coloring his tone. He saw her smile grow as she continued to roll out the dough.

"I don't think I control you. On the contrary, I would argue getting you to do something willingly is a great feat indeed. That's why I didn't make you hire me when I won. I would rather have you willingly hire me because you want my skills and you think I'm a good fit for Kaiba Corp. The duel was merely meant to make you notice my skills. Beating you just happened to be a bonus I did not necessarily intend to occur. Perhaps my time in the circuits has been beneficial, moreso than I originally thought."

"Again with the circuits," Kaiba said, clearly annoyed. "I thought you were glad to get away from them, yet all you do is talk about them nonstop. Either stop talking about them or tell them where you are. Don't make listen to more of this nonsense." He had no desire to hear any more of her prattle. She could deal with her 'circuits' when it wasn't so distracted to him.

"Perhaps you shouldn't intrude on a woman's sanctuary then. Maybe you wouldn't be subjected to listening to her musings that way," she said mockingly. "Besides, you won't be able to ignore the circuits now. Within two months, the fragile peace will be broken and there will be people interrupting your precious sanctuary for the sake of dueling." She had just finished with the dough and was beginning to place the apples and the sauce on one side. She did not elaborate on her cryptic comment.

"And why should I be concerned? None of them will pose a challenge for me. _You_ defeated them, after all, and your victory against me was nothing more than a fluke. They won't even be able to _touch_ me, let alone harm me."

"Kaiba, don't underestimate them," she warned, her face betraying a serious fear. "Of all the circuits, I'm easily the kindest and gentlest of the duelists. There are a great number of the circuits who greatly enjoy taking everything you hold dear and using your very self against you. They won't respect you just because you're the CEO of a prestigious corporation such as Kaiba Corp., or because you're a good duelist. Even I had a hard time earning their respect, and there are those that have no respect for anyone at all. They are _not_ to be trifled with. Skill is not enough against them."

She wished that he would look beyond himself for a change. There was so much more to the world than him and what would benefit or directly affect him. As she finished the last touches and began to fold the dough over and seal it, she glanced over at him. He was watching her coldly, his eyes glancing over her as she made small slits in the top of the dough. She turned to face him and studied him outright for the first time.

"Kaiba, there's more to life than what only affects you. Just because I have to work with a stuck-up block of ice for a boss doesn't mean my life is the worst it could ever get. Look beyond your own overpriced jackets for a change and think about someone else. Mokuba doesn't count, as he's your brother and the _only_ person you've ever been around for all your life. One of these days, Kaiba, you'll meet someone you're going to come to care for. It won't be someone you expect, and it won't be obvious to you when this change occurs. They'll slowly creep under your skin and you'll grow so used to having them by your side. One day, if you continue as you are now, they'll leave you, and it will be that day you'll realize just how much they meant to you, and just how little you appreciated them for it."

Kaiba scoffed. He wondered where she thought she had gained the power to speak to him in such a manner. What did she really know about him, anyway? She had no idea how hard he'd had to work to get him, Mokuba, and his company to the point they were now. She would never understand what he'd endured at the hands of his step-father. She would never comprehend what it took to become successful, or to gain power. She was weak, and she was foolish, he decided as he watched her put it into the oven.

"How's it coming?" her father asked, sticking his head in. When he saw the dessert was already in the oven, he beamed. "You two must work together really well. This is the fastest Yumi has ever gotten this done. Her mother couldn't even make it this fast, and I always helped her." Yumi could hear the delight in his tone. He turned to Kaiba and said, "Thank you for helping her. The gods only know Yumi's needed someone to look after and help _her_ out for a change. No one should ever feel the need to watch over their family at such a young age. It's always better to have help anyway."

"Father, that is completely unnecessary," she said, unusually annoyed. "I am quite capable of taking care of myself; I don't need a caretaker. Besides, _someone_ has to look out for you and Tsuki. Why else would either one of you come home, hmm? You would always be off at work, doing something or other in the name of research, and Tsuki would always be off with those so-called 'friends.' You two _need_ some grounding in reality."

"Always in denial," Shinji said, shaking his head and sighing deeply. "Yumi, you cannot always do everything for everyone, especially not on your own. There _will_ come a time where you are going to need someone to be your rock, to help you come to terms with something in your own life. You already work so hard to achieve your dreams, much like Seto Kaiba here," he said, gesturing to him. "In fact, I'd be willing to bet the two of you have more similarities than either of you would be willing to let on."

**Responses to my commentators:**

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan:** Glad the last line amused you! Hope you liked this chapter too!

**Azura Soul Reaver:** Glad you liked the twist. Hope this one proved interesting as well.

**Jade the Grey:** Glad you like Yumi so much. She really is the kind of person I admire. As for the dessert, the name comes up in the next chapter. I hope this was worth the wait!

**UltimateYugiohFan:** Thanks! I'm glad you like my story so much. Hope you liked the update!

**DaAmazingMeepers:** Thanks! Not quite, though. Hope you liked the chapter!

**yamiyugi4eva:** You're actually pretty close, but that's not quite it either. Still, it's definitely my favorite dessert!


	28. Devilish Designs

**Author's Info: **New chapter!! So I looked back and I realized the last one was painfully short by comparison. Sorry about that! This one is a lot longer. Life was a bit much at the time, but now I'm getting back into my writing schedule, and life is letting me be productive. Also, for those of you who have things you want to see in my stories, I now have a forum for it, or you can message me. Consider it part of my way of thanking the readers. Speaking of that, I want to especially thank **Shiningheart of ThunderClan**, **Ramen Fairy xoxo**, **Azura Soul Reaver**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, **yamiyugi4eva**, **Jade the Grey**, **TsuKaza**, and **SweetSnow01**. More comments after, as usual!

**The "what"s:** Listening to Yu-Gi-Oh music from my computer, as well as the random music my friends are playing (Backstreet Boys, Weird Al, etc.). Thinking about how productive I've been these past two days and hoping things continue along this track. If so, my life will be going far more smoothly.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I just own the twins and Shinji, as well as the plot. Hope you enjoy it!!!

_Chapter Twenty-Eight_

Kaiba scowled. Who was _he_ to say she was anything like _him_? The very notion of it was revolting and completely preposterous. She had nothing in common with him. He noticed Yumi was giving her father a look that expressed similar thoughts.

Shinji smirked and said, "Here is my first proof: you both deny having anything in common. You are both willing to ignore your shared passion for technology and your exceptional gaming skills. You clearly do not back down from challenges and you are both willing to go any length to protect the things you consider important. Also, if I'm even the tiniest bit right in my prior assumptions, then I'm completely confident in this: you both have led difficult lives, and you may actually have found a kindred spirit who can help you remember the world doesn't have to be something you refuse to be involved with."

"Father, you're starting to sound like Tsuki," Yumi said, scowling heavily. "Now enough of this nonsense or I promise you there will be nothing left of the dessert for you. You may be my father, but that does not give you the right to speak in such a pretentious manner to me. I am quite happily paying my own share of the load, thank you."

Shinji sighed and said, "Now who is being the pretentious one, my dear? I know you are certainly shouldering your own burdens, but you are still young. You have time before you need involve yourself in such wearing things. You should be enjoying your life, not bringing on an early old age."

Kaiba remembered Yumi's joke earlier that day about giving himself grey hairs. Apparently Yumi couldn't even take her own advice. Still, he wondered why Yumi felt the need to an eye on her father and sister, and why she was so unwilling to say anything about what her own motivations were. He also wondered what her strange, cryptic messages that only Tsuki seemed to understand meant. He got the feeling there were times where even Tsuki didn't really understand, and it puzzled him.

Yumi smiled and walked over to her father before kissing his cheek and saying, "If someone didn't step up in this family, you wouldn't come home and see us except once in a very rare while. You would be sitting there all alone in your office staring at all these ciphers and wallowing in grief. Besides that, _someone_ had to make sure Tsuki dragged herself back home instead of getting involved with all those rather unsavory guys. She's too innocent to understand not everyone wants her for her personality, bright as it is. As for me, I have to work hard if I'm ever going to make something of myself I can't allow myself to go back to what I was, not now, not ever." She smiled at him reassuringly and went to get the dessert from the oven.

***

Tsuki stared at Kaiba as he went into the kitchen. She never would have expected him to volunteer to help her sister do anything, unless there was something in it for him, of course. She looked over at Yugi in confusion and then turned to her father for an explanation.

"I had a feeling he would be the one to offer," he said with a smile. "There's a lot of things between them that it seems are causing rather pointless tension, no doubt due to that duel of theirs. Tell me, what was Yumi to win if she defeated him in the duel?"

"Dad, why do you want to know? It's not like it really matters," Tsuki said, looking at him nervously. She knew he had probably figured it out, even though Yumi had probably said Kaiba won. "It's not like there's anything between the two of them anyway. You know how Yumi is."

"And that's exactly why I know there's a possibility of something going on. I'm sure you immediately recognized the similarities between them and, knowing you as I do, are hoping they eventually realize it too. Although, knowing you, _you_ would much rather have it improve her love life. _I_, on the other hand, would be quite happy with the knowledge she has finally met someone who stands a chance at cracking that shell around her. This is going to be a difficult game for both of them, but I'm sure it will only help them in the end. Now, what did she win when she defeated Kaiba?"

"She won a job at Kaiba Corp.," Tsuki said reluctantly. She felt bad for telling her father; she knew Yumi hadn't wanted him to know about the outcome of the duel, or what was riding on it, but she couldn't bring herself to say nothing to their father, especially after everything they'd been through because of secrecy and deception. The last thing he needed was to feel as though he'd lost Yumi again. It had been frightening enough for both of them the first time, and the last thing they needed was to feel as though it was happening again.

"I thought as much," he said, looking back to the kitchen. "He's reluctant to admit it, but he's impressed by her. Yumi would likewise deny it, but she has always found Kaiba to be an interesting figure. That is most likely why she waited until now to introduce herself to him for real." He paused for a moment in contemplation before laughing. "I'm rambling. Forgive me; I had completely forgotten you wanted to ask me something about Egypt."

"Perhaps that can wait until after?" Tsuki said. She had the feeling her sister was uncomfortable being alone in the kitchen with Kaiba. Besides, she wanted to talk to Yugi a bit more before his attention was captured by the story of the Millennium Items.

"Alright," her father said coyly, taking the hint and making his daughter scowl. "I suppose I should go and see how those two are coming along, Knowing your sister, she's probably trying to kick Kaiba out of the kitchen." He turned to Yugi and smiled. "Forgive my rudeness. I just want to make sure my kitchen does not get destroyed by my rather headstrong daughter." With that, he went into the kitchen.

"What were you going on about with Yumi? Is everything okay?" Yugi asked, concerned there was something wrong with his friend.

"Well, there have been a lot of things that have happened over the past few years, and it's really shaken all of us up. Dad became obsessed with work and rarely ever came home. It took everything for Yumi to convince him to come home more often. I was out a lot, and it was only when Yumi dragged me home that I made any efforts to talk to her. The truth was that I felt like I was losing everyone. Yumi kept our family from falling apart entirely. I'm not sure how she managed it, considering how much of a wreck she was, but she did. She was a complete mess; the entire thing affected her more than everyone else after a while. She got better, but sometimes I still wonder if she ever really got over all of it. She never talks about it; in fact, she rarely ever talks about the things that bother her anymore. She changed a lot."

Tsuki fought back the tears that threatened to spill at the memory of how her sister had been. The truth was that she knew her sister still carried the scars of those events, and she still suffered greatly at their hands. Those events were what spawned her greatest fear, and it was something she always fought to forget. No one wanted to remember those events anymore. She wished she had never brought it up.

"What exactly happened?" Yugi asked. He felt guilty about causing her pain, but he wanted to understand what had happened. He felt that if he did he might be able to help them move on from what is clearly choking them from the inside. "I'm sorry if I'm making this more difficult," he began, but she cut him off.

"I understand why you want to know, and I appreciate what you want to do for us, Yugi, but I'm not ready to talk to you about that yet. That's something that concerns my sister more than it concerns anyone else. I know you're worried about us, and that's very sweet of you, but not now. In time, when I've known you longer, I may have the strength to tell you." She smiled sadly and looked away.

"I'm sorry," Yugi said, taking her hand reassuringly. "I didn't mean to upset you. I promise I'll wait until you're ready to tell me. Hey, tomorrow we're going to go to the arcade. Do you want to go with us?"

"Sure," Tsuki said, relieved by the change of subject and heartened by the chance of spending more time with him. She was surprised by how quickly the thought had cheered her. Somehow she was developing a closeness to him she had never experienced with other people. She wondered if there was a reason for the pull she felt, and she wondered if Yumi knew the real reason why. Her sister always remained wary of others, yet she had accepted Yugi without question. Yumi had to know something about Yugi she didn't, and she was going to find out just what that was.

***

"So my brain-dead sister kept you standing there the whole time? You know, the least she could've done was taken you somewhere to sit," Yumi said, looking at them as she came out of the kitchen. She smirked at her sister's indignant look and said, "I wanted to let the two of you know the dessert was finished. Don't worry; you can have two pieces for my insolence, Tsuki. Now, are you going to come or not? I could admittedly use other company. Between Father and Kaiba, I may very well go mad." She made sure they were following her before she reentered the kitchen. Her father and Kaiba were already seated, so she took her place silently. She had already put the pieces of desserts on the plates.

Tsuki took one look at the desserts and smiled. It had been some time since she'd made apple strudel. She wasn't sure what had compelled her sister to make it, but she wasn't complaining. Yumi was a perfectionist, so he had worked hard on her cooking and baking skills. She was the best cook in the house, but Tsuki wasn't jealous. She had skills of her own. Still, even she had to admit she liked this dessert best when Yumi made it.

"Now _this_ is more like it," Shinji said, looking at the strudel happily. He looked at the two boys and smiled. "You're in for a treat. I really hope you enjoy it. Maybe next time Yumi and Tsuki will even make dinner for us." He was amused by their identical looks of embarrassment and became even more amused when he noticed the way the guys each looked to a specific daughter for her reaction. Much as they may deny it, he had hopes for his two daughters and their growth and development in parts of themselves they had long since allowed to fall away.

That was a large reason why he had moved here, to Domino. He knew this place was the center of Duel Monsters in Japan, and that some of the best duelists in the world lived here. He knew this would allow Yumi to enjoy her activities outside Egypt, and there was the extra incentive of Kaiba Corp. He also knew the people here were far friendlier overall, and that Tsuki would be able to find people who would give her the support she needed. He had a hunch they would both meet people who would help them become more like their true selves, instead of the people they pretended to be.

"We'll see how things progress, Father. Now, feel free to eat. I promise it's not poisoned; I actually had help this time," she said playfully. She saw Tsuki smile and heard her father beginning to laugh. She took a bite and found her gaze captured by Kaiba. She flushed, but didn't look away. If anything, she was determined to hold his gaze. She saw a smirk tug at his lips and felt one tug at her own in response.

Kaiba was amused by her unwillingness to look away from him. It was an unspoken contest and they knew it. He had no intention of backing down, so he kept his gaze on her as he took a bite of the strudel. His eyes widened in surprise; he hadn't expected her baking to be as good as her family claimed, yet this was as good as the personal chefs he had at the mansion. Unfortunately, his unwillingness to look away meant that she saw his shock. Her smirk grew and he scowled.

"This is delicious, Yumi!" Yugi said, impressed with how good it was. He noticed she unwillingly broke eye contact with Kaiba and smiled to him. He had to admit he was surprised by the sheer amount of will and force between the two of them. He could tell Yumi was just as curious about how this battle of minds would end. Yumi was sly and intelligent while Kaiba was calculating and cunning. It was anyone's guess as to who would win.

"I'm glad you like it so much," Yumi said, smiling gently. "It definitely makes all the work worthwhile. Maybe I should start making it more often. Then again," she said thoughtfully, "I guess it all depends on how much time I have on my hands. Today was fast compared to my usual pace."

"Perhaps you should consider asking for help more often," Shinji teased. "Maybe you can even get Kaiba to help you again."

"Father, please don't talk nonsense. Kaiba is a busy man, and I'm sure that I can quite ably continue to make this on my own. You needn't worry about it. Besides, I'll begin working in two days, and I'm sure that between classes and the office Kaiba won't want to spend even more time with me." She smiled amicably for her father's sake, but she could tell Kaiba had gotten her hidden meaning. Kaiba's smirk proved he was quite up for whatever challenged she posed. She was ready to put up the worst resistance he had ever seen, and that wasn't going to end until he admitted defeat.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan:** I'm sorry that last chapter was so short. I didn't even think about it at the time. As for the speech, they're supposed to be somewhat similar. It's supposed to show that Yumi is rather blind when it comes to her own actions. She and Kaiba parallel, but she's completely oblivious, even if everyone else can see it.

**Azura Soul Reaver**: Glad you liked it! Hope you liked this one too!

**Ramen Fairy xoxo:** It probably is also a hurt/comfort, but as the story develops, you'll understand why I classified it as humor instead. There are moments of seriousness, but I want this to be lighthearted primarily.

**DaAmazingMeepers:** So now you know! Hope you liked the chapter!

**yamiyuga4eva:** The dessert is revealed! Hope you liked the new events!!

**Jade the Grey:** Thanks for understanding the reason of Shinji's speech!! As for the strudel, you were right!! Sorry to say you weren't the first to guess, though. As for circuit action, I'm actually thinking about that. It's going to be a little while longer, though.

**TsuKaza:** Congrats again on being the first to guess right!! Glad you understand how that shows the dynamics of the characters, and I hope you are looking forward to seeing how that transfers to the office!


	29. Egregious Effects

**Author's Info:** Hey guys! Another update! Next chapter is the start of Yumi's first day! (That is also why this chapter is shorter than usual, and I do apologize for that.) _Sando no Jigoku_ is quickly approaching 5000 views, which is really exciting, so let's keep this up, okay? Also, I know not everyone is big on vamps, but if you would please check out _Runaway_ and give me some feedback, I would be _very_ grateful. It is based on my personal story, and I want to know what you think of the idea! Now I'd really like to thank those of you who read/commented/messaged me, especially **TsuKaza**, **Azura Soul Reaver**, **Shiningheart of ThunderClan**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, **Jade the Grey**, **Saquya**, **AbbyCullen1586**, and **Snowe Minasu**. Detailed comments after as always!

**The "what"s:** Listening to Cascada's _Perfect Day_ album. Thinking how it's been forever since I listened to dance music, and happy now that my life has shifted to normalcy once again. I'm also enjoying my Valentine's Day greatly. Hope you guys are too! I'm also enjoying being somewhere _other_ than my room this afternoon, even if it's just the student center here on campus.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, unfortunately. I just own the twins, their father, and a few other characters (some of whom will be coming sooner than you think!) as well as the current plot. Please enjoy!

**Extra note:** I am now a beta reader! If you like Saint Seiya/Knights of the Zodiac, I _highly_ suggest reading **KawaiiKaia**'s story! She is very talented!

_Chapter Twenty-Nine_

Kaiba stood up when he had finished. He was ready to get back to his company and get away from that girl who would now be his personal assistant. He barely held back from smirking at the thought of how well their chat had ended up in his favor. Now if she was even going to stand a chance in their little game she would have t do whatever he told her to. Instead of only telling her what to do for a month, he would get months of ordering her about as he please. He would enjoy making her squirm. Tonight was merely a small taste of what was to come.

Yumi stood to accompany him to the door. It wasn't that she wanted more time alone with the man, but her duties as hostess did not permit her such rudeness as not walking him to the door. Much as she disliked Kaiba, her obligation and her sense of duty would not allow her. She sighed and followed him out of the room, ignoring what he stared at her at the door.

"Thank you for joining us," she said, looking for a way to make this sincere. "It really made my father happy, and anything that makes him happy is good in my eyes. Don't worry; I'll be on time on my first day. Tsuki knows I don't like to dawdle when I have to be somewhere."

"You better be on time, or you can kiss your job goodbye," Kaiba said, smirking at the thought of just how much power he held at the moment.

"Careful Kaiba, one of these days your threats may actually get you in trouble," she said, eyes dancing at the unspoken challenge he presented her. "I've been known to bite back." She leaned against the doorpost, a smirk on her lips. Much as Kaiba wanted to believe he held power over her, he was wrong. She would not give in, especially not to a man with an ego the size of Russia. She looked at her watch and said, "You really should get going, though. I'm sure Mokuba is wondering where you are. I don't want to worry him. Besides, you have all of tomorrow to prepare for my arrival, and I have work of my own to do."

"And what would that be?" Kaiba asked, amused by the way she was attempting to shove him out the door. "Don't tell me you're worried about that pathetic excuse of a homework assignment?" She scoffed, looking thoroughly insulted at the implication that she was an idiot. His smirk grew, making her even more agitated.

"I hardly consider that homework assignment a challenge. What I _really_ want to do is start on that game room. It is painfully empty at the moment, and I want to get a much done as possible before starting work. Surely you can't blame me for wishing to tie up loose ends?" She smirked when she saw he could not respond. "I thought not. Now, if you will excuse me, I'd very much like to start. Goodnight, _Mr._Kaiba," she said, her tone somewhat mocking. Kaiba scowled.

She smiled innocently in response and watched as her turned wordlessly to enter the limo that had jus arrived. She smiled and reentered the house to see Yugi, Tsuki, and her father exit the kitchen. She stopped and smiled before saying, "So you had questions about Egypt you wanted to ask?" She looked from Yugi to her father and smiled. "Perhaps you and my father could talk about it. His knowledge _is_ rather extensive."

"Actually," Yugi admitted sheepishly and nervously, "I have some questions about the Millennium Items, and the Great Pharaoh." He looked apologetically at their father before saying, "I'm sorry if I sound rude, but I had been told Yumi was the expert on that matter, considering the extensive amounts of research she's done on it."

Shinji laughed, showing he clearly took no offense. "It's true," he admitted. "Yumi is certainly our resident expert on all things pertaining to that particular era of Egyptian history. As Tsuki no doubt told her, it's her favorite pastime besides her games. I'm sure she would be happy to answer any questions you have in my place."

Yumi flushed in embarrassment at her father's easy deflection. She looked at Yugi and said, "Very well, although it is probably better if we conduct this elsewhere. Follow me." With that, she turned and made her way back to her bedroom, thinking that in retrospect it was probably a bad idea she had passed up the idea of having a personal office after all.

Yugi followed her into the room, noticing some of the very same things Kaiba had, namely the colors, simple furniture, and, most importantly, the division between what was clearly office space and her bedroom. He was as she sat in one of the comfortable chairs and motioned for him to sit down in the other.

"So what exactly is it you want to ask of me, Yugi?" she asked. She knew this was important to Yugi, no doubt because he was hoping she could help him find out more about the Great Pharaoh, or Yami as he now called himself.

"I was wondering if there was anything you could tell me about the Millennium Items. Tsuki said you had spent weeks doing further research after your last expedition to Egypt, and I was wondering if you could tell me more. I don't know much about them at all. I only know what Yami, Pegasus, and Bakura have told me," he admitted.

"Bakura knows about the Millennium Items?" Yumi asked, both curious and alarmed. He hadn't seemed like one who would know anything about their existence, let alone their true nature. When she saw Yugi's panicked expression about revealing that bit of info, she smiled reassuringly. "Never mind, okay? It's of no consequence. If this is all true, then you surely know there are seven Millennium Items: the Millennium Rod, Millennium Ring, Millennium Scales, Millennium Necklace, Millennium Key, Millennium Eye, and, of course, Millennium Puzzle. They were created roughly five thousand years ago, although no one is exactly sure of anything else. The exact date, place of origin, method of creation, even the nature and composition of these Items are a complete mystery to us. Still, I have reason to believe these Items were created shortly before the reign of the Great Pharaoh, and that they likely played some fort of role in the Shadow Games, precursor to Duel Monsters. Everything else is entirely speculation on my part. I'm sorry, but I don't know what else I can really tell you. If you want, I would be happy to show you my research one of these days, but there is little else I can do at this point."

"No, that's okay," Yugi said, smiling reassuringly. "You really helped me put together information the others had only given me small glimpses of. Keep me updated though, okay? Every little bit of information you can collect will be a really big help for me and Yami, and I know it means a lot to him that you're willing to help us out."

"Of course," she said, smiling gently. "I want to help the Pharaoh as much as I possibly can as well. I will be sure to tell you more as I continue my research. As for you, please know you can tell me anything you want me to know. It's entirely possible that in your adventures you've picked up information that I would find useful. Together we can fill in the missing pieces of my research and solve the riddle of Yami's past. I'd love to help you, so please believe in me."

Yugi smiled. He knew Yumi was completely heartfelt and honest in her promise to him. She was someone he and Yami would be able to trust. As a result, he found himself wanting to tell her about everything that had happened at Duelist Kingdom. Yami warned that now would not be the right time for that, however. He has noticed she was still reserved about some of the knowledge she had, and she was still unwilling to disclose how she had come to discover the information she had acquired thus far. He felt it would be better to wait until she was willing to trust him with this information before they divulged information that could put her in situations they could avoid.

She smiled, sensing the conflict between them, and said, "While I am aware of some of the events that took place during Duelist Kingdom, now is not the time to fill me in on the other occurrences. That is a story better told after I've proven my loyalty. You have a good heart, Yugi; I would hate to see it broken because you opened it to someone carelessly and were hurt. Sadly, that seems to be the way most learn the value of discretion, including me." Her eyes became full of sadness, and she knew Yugi could tell. She sighed and looked at the clock before standing. "It is late; your grandfather is probably wondering what is keeping you. You should probably go home now. I will leave you with this promise, however: I promise I will do everything in my power when the time should come that you have need of me. Then and only then will I reveal everything that is within my power to you."

Yugi looked at her serious expression in surprise, and he could sense the same surprise coming from Yami. Even though neither had expected such a serious and desperate plea from Yumi, they were both incredibly relieved she wanted to earn their trust. She did not believe herself to have earned their trust as yet, and she did not just wish to pry into their lives. It made them realize they truly could trust her.

Yugi looked at the clock and realized just how late it had truly become. He stood and apologized for his rushed departure, but she merely smiled and waved goodbye, as though telling him it was nothing and he should leave.

Once Yugi had rushed out of the room, Yumi took one final glance at her room before disappearing into the game room. She had a great deal of work to complete before the night was over, and she was not going to stop until it was finished. Pushing aside her rivalries and thoughts about the Great Pharaoh, she looked at her machines and prepared herself to set up and update all of her gaming systems. Everything else could wait for another time. All that mattered now was abandoning herself to her work, Tsuki's opinion on the matter be damned. It was her life, and she would live it as she pleased. Anything to forget and move on. Anything to be the person _she_ would never be.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**TsuKaza:** Glad you thought the staring contest was well done! I really think you'll enjoy the next few chapters!

**Azura Soul Reaver:** Glad you liked it! Hope you liked this one too!

**DaAmazingMeepers:** Better luck next time! Glad you liked the stare down! I admit it was fun to write.

**Jade the Grey:** Haha, I'm glad you can live through Yumi. I'm glad it made you curious, and I must say you are quite perceptive! You'll find out more soon, I promise!

**Saquya:** Glad you liked it! Hope you like this one too!

**Snowe Minasu:** I never really thought about that, but now I will definitely consider a Tsuki/Tea duel! I had been considering a Tsuki/Yugi one, but first I have to figure out what sort of deck would fit Tsuki's character! Would you prefer the Tsuki/Tea duel to come before or after another duel with Yumi (this time with a member of the circuit!) Please let me know everyone!!!!!


	30. Underlying Unruliness

**Author's Info:** Thirty chapters, guys! Another milestone accomplished, and not without difficulty! Last week my computer containing all 29 other chapters, as well as all my other stories, broke. As a result, the only stories I can continue posting at the moment are _Sando No Jigoku_ and _The Void Between Our Worlds_, since I write them before I put them into the computer. The worst part? I was actually getting ready to post an update to _Destinies of the Divine Descendants_. I will try to get those as soon as possible after Easter break, but that is all I can promise. Also, I could use everyone's help concerning Tsuki's deck. What type of monsters do you think most fit her personality? I'm leaning toward a fairy deck, but I'm not sure. Thanks to **TsuKaza**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, **Azura Soul Reaver**,** Jade the Grey**, and **whiney smurf**, as well as all the rest of you who read! Hope you like this one!

**The "what"s: **Listening to the Yu-Gi-Oh soundtrack, since it's one of the few bits of my music I retained (I have the CD). I'm thinking about how awesome it is to be off campus and about the fact spring break is in _one week_. I am so excited for it, but first I have three midterms to get through! The semester is now reaching the end phase, so let's hope I finish strongly! Let's also hope my new laptop and MP3 player like me more than the last ones!!!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, and never have. That's probably good, considering how much work I am left without for another good month or so. Still, I DO own Yumi, Tsuki, and the other original characters! Enjoy.

_Chapter Thirty_

"You're actually ready," Yumi said, surprise on her face. "I thought you would be sleeping late again. Maybe there is hope for you yet, little sister." She smirked at the irritation on Tsuki's face. The surprise on her face and her sister's initially smug expression were well worth her own revenge.

"_One day_, Yumi," Tsuki said, groaning. "Why can't you let me have just one day where you actually allow me to enjoy my victory against you? You always have an uncanny knack of finding some way to turn an outcome in your favor. For once I'd like for it to be my turn."

"We'll see if you're right in your assessment, I suppose," Yumi said as they went out the door. "This is going to be my first day at Kaiba Corp. after all, and I'm sure he's been thinking of ways to lord his power over me, hoping to win this battle between us."

"Little does he know how good you are at making his own tricks turn against him," Tsuki said, smirking at the glint that appeared in her sister's eyes. Her sister was not someone Kaiba would easily get to submit to him. In truth, if he _did_ somehow manage to get her to submit to him willingly, it would be a miracle in itself. She had never seen anyone come even remotely close to taming her sister, even if they _had_ earned her sister's respect and admiration. Still, there was something different about the CEO, and maybe that something was _exactly_ what her sister needed all these years.

"Hurry up, Tsuki, or do you want to be late?" Yumi snapped when she saw her sister walking absentmindedly. She had no desire to delay this. She would not have Kaiba thinking she was intentionally avoiding him by arriving late to class. She turned, frowning, when she heard her sister giggle. "And just _what_, pray tell, is so funny?" she asked, eyebrow raising questioningly. Instead of receiving an answer, she merely saw a devilish and knowing gleam in her sister's eyes, one she did not like in the least.

"Hey Yumi! Hey Tsuki!" they heard Yugi call when they entered the classroom at last. They turned and looked at him. Yumi wore her usual bemused expression while Tsuki beamed and waved at him. Yumi gave him a small nod of acknowledgement before going to her seat; Tsuki walked right over to him and his group of friends. "Tsuki, is Yumi alright?" Yugi asked, concerned by the fact she hadn't even said hello.

"Oh don't worry about it; Yumi's just worried about her first day of work. She's really nervous because she wants to do well, even if all Kaiba does is antagonize her. My sister really cares about this job, and failure is not an option for her. She'll be fine by tomorrow, I promise," she said reassuringly. She looked over at her sister and noticed just how tense she really was. Sure, she might be able to hide it from people who didn't know her very well, but this was her sister. She knew all her little quirks.

Yumi noticed her sister glancing over at her and sighed internally. She hated to admit it, but she truly _was_ nervous. She had wanted a job at Kaiba Corp. for _years_, yet all she had managed to get was a job as Kaiba's personal assistant. Who knew _what_ Kaiba had in mind for her to do, or what kind of grief he would put her through before all this was over? She saw someone approaching out of the corner of her eye and tensed; the last thing she needed was someone bothering her at the moment.

Kaiba smirked when he saw her tense slightly, only to relax when he took his seat beside her. She had clearly thought it was someone attempting to approach her yet again. Much as he enjoyed the annoyance in her eyes when they crowded around her, he couldn't understand their attraction to her. So what if she was supposedly beautiful according to the vast majority of the male population? There were no redeeming qualities she possessed, and 'beauty' could only go so far. He would prove that today when she began working as his assistant.

Yumi hated the smug expression on his face. She knew it was because he thought he would be able to overpower her and make her bow down to his will, but she was not one to simply sit back and take whatever anyone threw at her. She had learned her lesson, and she would _not_ make that mistake ever again. Kaiba _would_ lose this war, make no mistake.

Kaiba smirked as she opened her book, something he had quickly learned was equivalent to a 'Do not disturb' sign and leaned over to take the book from her hands. When he pulled it away, she looked over at him in surprise and glared. Kaiba smirked, knowing he had irritated her profusely.

"Is there something I can help you with, Kaiba?" she asked, feigning politeness and doing what she could to keep her irritation out of her voice and her expression. She knew he had taken her book to annoy her, and she didn't want to give him any further satisfaction. She watched him examine her book and wondered if he was planning on returning it or responding to her question any time soon.

"Why did you choose this book? Don't tell me you're trying to come across all intelligent now," Kaiba scoffed, amused by the way her eyes flashed in anger and indignation. "You've already gotten the job; you don't need to impress me any further. You should instead be focused on what I'm going to have you do once you begin work today."

"Perhaps you've forgotten, but I don't start taking orders from you just yet. Let me then make one thing clear: I may take certain orders from you at work, but you do _not_ own me. When I am not on the clock, you have no power over me at all, _especially_ not over matters that concern my personal choices or actions. This includes what books I choose to devote time to reading. What do you have against _The Three Musketeers_ anyway?"

"I didn't say I had anything against Dumas, although _The Count of Monte Cristo_ is easily the best of his works. You do not think me as someone who would be interested in Western literature, nor as someone who was fluent in French." Kaiba had opened the book and noticed immediately the language was not Japanese. One quick glance had told him the language was French, which surprised him. He had no knowledge she knew any languages beyond Japanese. He was beginning to wonder what else she was capable of. He also realized he was gaining new information which he could use to his advantage; the more he learned about her, the more ways to annoy her would be unveiled, and the more he could use this to the advantage of his company.

She raised her eyebrow at his challenge and smirked. She figured for once she would take the bait and play along. "Well, I'll admit you _do_ seem rather westernized, although I should admit the same has become true of me in recent years. Still, you _must_ be blind if you think _The Count of Monte Cristo_ is better than _The Three Musketeers_. Intrigue, revenge, murder, adventure—all the things you could _possibly_ like about _The Count of Monte Cristo_ are manifested tenfold in _The Three Musketeers_. Besides, what would you expect me to read in my spare time? Those horribly written, terribly dry dime store stories? I'm no romantic, at least not in that sense. My romantic notions concern themselves with adventure and the struggle of the soul between good and evil. My sister is the true romantic. All this aside, what better way to read about the adventures of D'Artagnan than in his own native tongue? Clearly, there is much about me you do not know, Kaiba. Not all of us 'little people' are as ignorant as you thought."

Kaiba scowled at the way she talked back to him. She looked at him with determination and challenged that no one had ever dared to show against him, at least none that truly knew of the sort of power he possessed. She was willing to stand up to him, even though he now had even greater power over her now that he was her boss. She had even openly challenged his opinion about the books, which he admittedly knew would happen, but he had still not expected such strong criticism.

She could see his aggravation at the way she had challenged him, but she had not admittedly wanted to fight him so early. She had merely wanted to enjoy her books in peace, yet he had shattered that easily in taking her book. She did not understand why he could not leave her a few meager hours of peace before beginning his onslaught, and it only made her even more anxious about what was to come. If she could only have her book back, maybe that would help her calm somewhat.

"What's going on here?" Yumi heard her sister ask. She looked over at her with an exasperated expression. She saw her sister look at her book in Kaiba's hand and her eyes narrowed. "Is there any particular reason you're holding my sister's book? I'm pretty sure my sister was wanted to read today, so why is it in your hands?" Yumi was grateful for her sister's intervention, admittedly. For once, she had not known how to get herself out of this awkward situation, and her sister had just provided her with a way out.

"You seem to enjoy entering into matters that do not concern you in the slightest. We were merely discussing Dumas' literary merits, and the benefits of reading such works in their native language." In truth, he was grateful she had broken in; this gave him a way to avoid responding to her arguments. Still, he despised the way she always seemed to intrude right as Yumi was about to reveal something in her irritation. No matter, he thought, smirking. She would tell him everything soon enough; he would find out everything he wanted to know when they were alone at work, and he could count on no interruptions from such nuisances.

Tsuki glared at Kaiba, completely unconvinced. "If all you were doing was discussing Dumas, then why haven't you given my sister her book back yet? I'm fairly certain such a dialogue is more than enough to hold my sister's attention for a few minutes."

"Alright, everyone, to your seats," the teacher announced as she entered the room. Tsuki glared at Kaiba one final time before returning to her seat. Yumi sighed and looked at her sister as though silently thanking her for her efforts. She knew Tsuki had only wanted her help her, but she also knew that against Seto Kaiba her sister would not be enough. He would never be intimidated by someone like her sister. That was her job.

**Responses to my commentators:**

TsuKaza: I'm glad you like Yumi's outlook. You're partially right about where her attitude comes from, but there is another event that will be explained later (I promise). Let me know what you think of the idea for Tsuki's deck!

DaAmazingMeepers: This is actually set shortly after Duelist Kingdom in the anime, so Yugi's knowledge right now is not very extensive. He'll learn more as we get into Battle City (there is a plot line I'm working on with that, and that's why). Hope that explains!

Azura Soul Reaver: Glad you liked it!

Jade the Grey: Hope you liked this one! Please give me insight on Tsuki's deck!! I hope you liked this exchange between Kaiba and Yumi!


	31. Laughable Lunchables

**Author's Info:** Hey guys! I am so sorry at how long it's taken. After the last chapter came spring break, and then tests and papers (typical college life) and easter break. I should be on track now, and I have all the documents that were lost in the wake of the broken laptop! I'm going to start typing up the next chapter of _Sando no Jigoku_ right now, so you guys get two updates in one! Thanks to all of you who read/reviewed/commented, especially **Azura Soul Reaver**, **TsuKaza**, **Jade the Grey**,** friend9810**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, **Killer of MarySues**, **amsharp**, **autobot grl Cassa01**, **Homunculus****7SIN**, and **gOthiCkUrOcHo69**. More specific comments after!

**The "what"s:** Listening to a mix of Yellowcard, Goo Goo Dolls, Vertical Horizon, and others (most of which I was without for a whole month). I'm thinking about how ready I am for summer vacation, and how excited I am to get back into writing. It has been a while since I've been able to write stories. I have written a few poems, but that's been the extent of it for a while. I'm so sorry it's taken me so long! Maybe if we all petition to life to stop having such a sense of humor with me, she'll listen?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I just own the current plot and the characters not original to the series. Much as I like Kaiba, I don't know if I want my livelihood to revolve around timely updates! I'm just a student, after all! I just hope you enjoy the update!

_Chapter Thirty-One_

After the lunch bell rang, Tsuki sighed and looked over at her sister. She couldn't help but notice the way she and Kaiba had spoken quietly to one another during the partnered assignment. In fact, at first she'd been rather amused by the way the two of them had automatically turned to one another with mutually annoyed faces when the teacher called for them to pair off. After all, she knew no one would expect two people who disliked one another to willing work on a project together when not required. Her amusement wore off when she had realized Kaiba was taunting her the entire time. She could tell by her sister's exasperated expression as she grabbed her lunch and stood to leave.

"And where do you think you're going?" she heard Kaiba ask, making Yumi cringe. She would have thought he would have been content for the moment with the amount he had already managed to insult and torment her, yet it seemed he didn't know when enough was enough.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were enjoying my company quite so much. You really shouldn't concern yourself about seeing me again, though. It's only a little lunch break. I'll be back as soon as it's over, and then you'll even have the entire remainder of the work day to spend with me," she said lightly, teasingly. She felt satisfied with the irritated look in his eyes. It gave her a small measure of vengeance for all his cruel comments over the course of the morning. "Now, I would greatly appreciate it if you returned my book that you so ungraciously took from me at the start of the day. I would very much like to be on my way now."

"And why so eager to be rid of my company? Don't tell me you've had enough already. We still have so many hours to spend together. Surely I'm not _that_ boring that you couldn't allow me to accompany you on your excursion?" he asked, barely able to contain his smirk as he knew he had regained control. He watched her face pale then darken in rage. He held up her book and said, "Besides, you shouldn't shut yourself off with books all the time. Spend some time among the living."

"I suppose there is some honor in accepting your request," she said thoughtfully, which made him look at her in surprise. "It's not as though _you_ live in a social sense very often, so if even you are telling me to be social, you who talks to none of your classmates and little more to your employees, then there truly _must_ be something wrong." By the end of her response she had taken a decidedly mocking tone, which only made his scowl darken. She smirked, knowing she had won that particular exchange. "So I do believe I shall go enjoy my lunch now." She turned her back on him, ready to leave, only to feel him grab her arm. She tensed.

"I did not say you could turn your back on me, Makoto," he hissed, glaring at her coldly. He was shocked to see her glaring back at him hatefully, which only served to annoy him further.

"I was not aware I needed your permission to eat lunch where I please," she said coldly. "I may be your personal assistant, but I am _not_ your dog. I do not just roll over and bark on command. I will do as I please, especially in matters not related to work. Do not underestimate what I am willing to do to prove this to you."

"What is going on over there?" Joey asked, looking between Yumi and Kaiba. Kaiba still had his hand on her arm and Yumi looked murderous. "Do you think we should go over there? Yumi looks like she's going to mutilate Rich Boy at this rate."

Yugi had been watching the events unfold as well, and he too had been wondering if it would be wise to intervene. He noticed Yumi was growing increasingly angry, but when he finally decided to take action he noticed Tsuki shake her head, as though telling him to stay out of their affairs. He stared at her in surprise and couldn't help but ask, "Why? Don't you want to help her? She _is_ your sister."

"That's why she has to handle this one on her own. I had no choice but to get involved earlier or there would have been serious issues. If she can't even get out of one lunch date with Kaiba on her own, then I would think she's either not really trying, or that she won't be a match for him at all. She'll be fine in spite of her momentary rage. Besides, there's nothing wrong with her spending a little personal time getting to know her new boss," she said, a teasing note to her voice. Seeing the way her sister suddenly tensed considerably, she could tell she had overheard her in spite of everything going on between her and Kaiba. She hoped that maybe now her sister would make up her mind about whether she would go with Kaiba to lunch or completely push him away. These indecisive games were not helping anyone. Still, she couldn't help the way her eyes widened as she saw Yumi's shoulders slump in defeat.

"Alright, if you really wish to accompany me _that_ badly, I suppose it would be alright. Just do both of us a favor and keep quiet. You have plenty of time in which to find out more personal things about me. Let's leave the competition for the office." Yumi sighed and gathered her things together once again. She noticed Kaiba's surprised expression, surprising her in turn; she had expected him to be smug about the matter. She waited a moment before saying, "Are you coming or not, Kaiba?" She saw him start before he quickly grabbed his lunch and followed after her. What she didn't notice, however, was him slipping her book back into her desk.

***

"Yumi, go ahead. I know you don't want to wait on me," Tsuki said, smiling reassuringly at her sister from the group of people surrounding her. She knew her sister was incredibly anxious about first day of work, and she didn't want to do anything to make the situation worse for her. "I'll be fine, okay? I was actually going to hang out with Yugi and the others this afternoon anyway. Don't worry; I'll be home with plenty of time to spare before you get home. Knowing you and Kaiba, you'll be there for a while."

Yumi flushed slightly out of embarrassment at her sister's outburst. She wished her sister would have kept her occupation more secretive, but she should have known better. Her sister wasn't one to keep confidence in matter that weren't entirely personal. Still, she was relieved her sister was giving her the support and encouragement she desperately needed, especially after today's events.

"We'll see how all this goes," she said with a smile. "Who knows, I might even get home early. Have fun with Yugi and the others, okay?" Yumi gave a small wave to Tsuki and smile at the others before heading out the door. She was grateful Kaiba had left the moment school ended. No doubt he wanted to get to his precious company as soon as possible. She sighed as she got her shoes on and made her way off the grounds. She had to get home and change quickly is she was ever going to get there on time, especially since she did not have a car at the moment.

She rushed home and changed into a business suit she had bought while they were living in Tokyo. It was a simple one: black and streamlined to fit her body nicely. While it was true she didn't focus on her looks or her body the way Tsuki, or even Kaiba, did, she knew it was better to have a suit that fit her properly if she wanted to feel comfortable wearing it for hours, or days, on end.

She grimaced as she realized just how many suits she would now need to purchase. Working for Kaiba meant she would always have to look professional, even if he would be the only person she saw all day. He would not grant her the slack Shinogame had. There would be no jeans and t-shirts here. Kaiba was all about looks.

Looking at the clock, she tensed. She quickly applied light make-up and pulled her hair up into a comfortable, yet professional style before rushing down the stairs and out the door, where she was surprised to see a black car waiting just outside. Her eyes widened in surprise as Kaiba stepped out, a smug expression on his face.

"What are _you_ doing _here_?" she asked, unable to hide her surprise. "I thought you were already at Kaiba Corp., tinkering with your precious machines and making sure your beloved company was running exactly the way you wanted it, with your employees running around in frenzy, hoping they don't annoy you and get themselves fired." The sarcastic tone in her voice made Kaiba scowl.

"And here I was, willing to offer you a ride to your first day of work out of the goodness of my heart, and _you're_ standing here insulting me," he said, his tone condescending. "I guess you don't really want me to help you ensure you're on time for your first day of work. I guess it's not my problem if you lose your job, then."

She scowled as she realized what he was doing, knowing she was now in a dilemma. Going with him _would_ ensure she got to work on time, but it would require bowing down and apologizing to him for her comments, something she despised doing. She still remembered how Kaiba had gotten her to accept this job in the first place, and it still burned at her insides. She especially hated the way he was already effectively getting under her skin, even though they hadn't even gotten to the office yet. This was _not_ going the way she had planned, and there was nothing she could do at the moment to turn it to her favor.

"Seto, what's going on? What's taking you so long? I thought you said you had to get to work before your new assistant arrived," she heard a voice say from inside the car. She watched as Kaiba's little brother Mokuba stuck his head out. When he saw her standing in front of Kaiba, he gasped. "You're the one who defeated my brother!" He looked at Kaiba in shock, silently demanding an explanation.

"Hello Mokuba," she said politely. "My name is Yumi Makoto, and yes, I'm the one who dueled your brother. I'll also be his new personal assistant, although I'm sure I'll also be more than willing to run errands for you as well." She bowed deeply and smiled. She noticed Mokuba's distrustful expression and chuckled.

"Mokuba, she is our personal assistant. I just thought I'd show one small act of kindness to out newest employee, but it seems she doesn't appreciate our generosity." He smirked as he noticed the scowl appearing on her face. He was winning, and he knew it. He was going to enjoy his victory over her, and he was nowhere near finished with her punishment.

"You mean _she's_ the one working with us?" Mokuba asked, shocked. He got out and walked up to her before examining her intently. After a moment, he grinned and said, "I guess she'll do. Welcome to the Kaiba Corp. family, Yumi! Looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other from now on, so you better get used to it!" She smiled in response, but was startled when he grabbed her hand and began pulling her to the car.

"Mokuba, what are you—"

"Big brother offered you a ride, didn't he? You might as well come with us! Besides, do you really want to risk being late on your first day?" he asked, grinning widely. She laughed and smiled at his exuberance.

"I guess you're right, Mokuba. That would be rather foolish of me, wouldn't it? Besides, how would I ever face my sister and the others if I get fired my first day on the job?" she said lightly while silently thanking the gods Mokuba was there. Thanks to him she was able to accept Kaiba's offer without injuring her pride. She quietly got into the back seat of the car with the two Kaiba brothers. It was then she realized Kaiba must have been picking up his little brother from school. She smiled a little and looked out the window as the car pulled away from her home.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**Azura Soul Reaver:** Glad you liked it!

**TsuKaza:** I have Tsuki's deck mostly built. Thanks for the link, and for the advice. I think you'll look forward to the duel. The only thing is, there's one duel that is taking place before that, and I have to build another deck. If you'd be willing to discuss this with me, send me a message. (This goes to anyone else willing to help.) I think you'll be excited for that duel too.

**Jade the Grey:** Thanks for the computer wishes. I hope you like this first glimpse into what work will be like! More to come in the next chapter! Since I haven't entirely messed with spell and trap cards for Tsuki yet, perhaps you can give me a few hints as to which work best with a Psychic/Fairy deck? If you want a general idea of the monsters, I can message the list to you.

**DaAmazingMeepers:** I hope everything in this chapter makes sense! I also really hope you like the way the day is going!


	32. Conniving Coffee

**Author's Info:** Two chapters in two days! I say this is an accomplishment. More Mokuba in this one, and I have to admit I find it rather amusing. I really hope you guys enjoy this one! Now I have to start updating my other stories again, but I should be ready with updates for all of them soon enough. I really want to thank all of you, especially now that I've had almost 5,500 views _and_ 90 comments on _Sando No Jigoku_. I especially want to thank **DaAmazingMeepers**, **Azura Soul Reaver**, and **setos angel01**. More comments after!

**The "what"s:** I have been wonderfully distracting myself with season one of _Legend of the Seeker_, and last night one of my friends and I had a blast commenting on old Pokemon episodes. I've also been listening to music by Third Eye Blind and CAKE. My thoughts are centering around playing Pokemon Red tomorrow, and on the fact I may finally be done with data entry! This means even more time for writing!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Must as I love the show, I'd probably drive everyone insane with my life schedule. Let's just all be glad summer begins in exactly one month!!!

_Chapter Thirty-Two_

"So, Yumi, what made you decide to work at Kaiba Corp.?" Mokuba asked, curiosity getting the best of him. She _had_ beaten his brother after all, so what could she possibly want that would require her working here? "You're not trying to date my brother, are you?" he asked, suspicious of her motives. That was the usual reason people applied to be his personal assistant. What better way to try than by being around him all the time? He'd quickly found that out after his brother refused to hire any more personal assistants.

Yumi flushed in embarrassment at being asked such a question, but scoffed, to her credit. "Trust me, Mokuba, I am most certainly _not_ out to date your brother. I know you look up to him, but I personally do not find your brother attractive in any way. I took this job because Kaiba Corp. is a respectable and forward-thinking gaming corporation, one I would be proud to be a part of. Your brother is just another person in the company as far as I'm concerned; unfortunately, he happens to be the _one_ person I have to listen to."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Kaiba asked, looking at her coldly. She was once again saying he wasn't good looking, and, even worse, saying he was a terrible boss. "Are you telling me you don't want this job any longer, or is it only my company you find so deplorable?"

She couldn't help but chuckle at his indignant response. "No, no," she said, tone colored with amusement. "It's nothing like that. I may as well enjoy the time I spend working for Kaiba Corp., especially given how much I enjoy gaming. Even so, that's no reason for me to be attracted to the coldest, most ruthless CEO I've ever met. I much prefer men that enjoy more in life than just his brother and his company. I may not be the most romantic woman, and I admit I rather enjoy my work, but that doesn't mean I want to spend my dates discussing something I already spend so much of my life doing anyway. Dueling is one thing; discussing whether the hologram technology is working properly is just not proper."

Kaiba raised his eyebrow. She wasn't just hitting his ego as a businessman and seemingly desirable bachelor; she knew there wasn't much that would insult him, and what she could use against him she wouldn't dare say in front of Mokuba. Instead, she directed her attacks on him as a man. He scowled and studied her intently. Who was _she_, a relative nobody, to say he was undesirable? She was a fool to say so, and she was hardly someone worth noticing. No amount of physical beauty could compensate for her lack of sense.

She laughed in delight when she realized she had effectively wounded his pride. She knew he was contemplating his revenge, but it seemed his younger brother was far more vocal in his indignation.

"I don't get it. What could possibly be so bad about my big brother? Sure, Seto is rather distant with other people, but he's really a great guy. In fact, Seto's my best friend!" Mokuba said, looking slightly hurt by her words.

"Mokuba, that's enough," Kaiba said sharply. She was as Mokuba's expression turned sheepish as he looked at his brother; it was as though he was apologizing. She frowned; she didn't see why Mokuba should have to apologize, but she had a feeling she would find out later, once she'd teased Kaiba a little and gotten him alone long enough to pry it out of him.

"Hmm, what's so bad about you brother? Perhaps it is the fact he's just too perfect to be real!" she gushed, knowing Kaiba would sense the false flattery. "Incredibly successful, wealthy, powerful, intelligent, cunning, capable, charitable, understanding—everything any woman could possibly ever want and more! He _is_ the hottest CEO in existence, _and_ he's one of the most desirable men around the world. It especially helps that he's a bachelor who has never had a girlfriend in his life. _That's_ what's so horrible; he's everything I've ever dreamed of and more and he's not mine!"

Kaiba glared at her. How many times would she continue to take shots at his pride? Even at school, when he had been dominating their battle, she _still_ denied his prowess. He would have to put her in her place. "Stop here," he ordered his driver, ignoring the curious Mokuba and Yumi, who had stopped talking to one another. He opened the door and smirked, looking at her intently and meaningfully.

Yumi realized Kaiba wanted her to do something, but she wasn't sure what it would be. She got out of the car only to see she was standing in front of a coffee shop. When she realized his intentions, she felt her indignation and anger rise. She glared at his suddenly smug expression and realized there was no way of escaping what he would have her do.

"I like my coffee mostly black, with only a minimal amount of sugar. You have one chance to get it right," he said, smirking in amusement. He knew she would never get it right; he was an incredibly picky man, and this would certainly put her in her place.

She scowled, knowing exactly what he was thinking. Even so, she refused to back down. She refused to give him the satisfaction of having another victory over her. She growled silently before turning to Mokuba and smiling a little. "Is there anything you want, Mokuba? Just tell me what you'd like me to get, and I'll find it."

Mokuba thought about it for a moment before saying, "Can I get a Coke and a brownie, please?" She smiled and nodded before turning and heading inside. Mokuba turned to face his brother only to see a smirk on his face. "Why are you being so hard on her, Seto? You were never _this_ strict with any of your previous assistants. How is _she_ any different?"

"She needs to learn her place, Mokuba. She is my assistant, _not_ someone _I_ take orders from. Maybe this will teach her I am not someone to mess with." Kaiba smirked more as he watched her get their food and drinks. She was quick, he had to admit, and efficient, but that didn't mean anything if she couldn't get his order right. The real test was about to begin.

She sighed as she put a small amount of half and half into his coffee, following that with a smaller amount of sugar. Knowing what she did about Kaiba, she used it to guess the amounts, but ultimately it was all a guess. Still, she was confident she was at least close. She gathered up what she'd bought for them and went out to present them to the Kaiba brothers. Mokuba smiled broadly and thanked her; he must have noticed she'd bought him the biggest brownie she'd seen. She then handed Kaiba his coffee and watched as he silently took a sip.

Kaiba's eyes widened; somehow she had managed to come incredibly close to his preferred taste in coffee. He then noticed she had been watching him for a reaction, and he knew it would be impossible for him to tell her she was far off now. He still had to do _some_ damage control, though; his ego would take no more bruising than necessary. "Hmm, nice try, but it seems you're off the mark, Yumi. Looks like you'll have to do better next time."

"Coming from the ever-mighty Seto Kaiba, I'll take that as quite the compliment," she said, taking a sip from her own coffee cup as she smirked slightly. She noted that although, like him, she hadn't added much sugar (as if she needed sweetening), she certainly couldn't have her coffee that black (her heart wasn't _that_ cold). She fought back the growing smirk, but she noticed Kaiba's eye twitch, making it even more difficult. She turned to Mokuba and smiled. "How is your brownie, Mokuba?"

"It's really good! This one is my favorite," he said happily. "How did you know which one to get?"

"I didn't. I guessed," she admitted, smiling sheepishly. "The other brownie just didn't seem like it would be something you would like. I figured someone with your personality would prefer something sweeter. I'm just glad I got it right; I would have hated to waste such good food. I'm rather fond of this bakery myself. It's been a long time since I've last been here, though."

"Wait, you've been here before, Yumi?" Mokuba asked incredulously. She laughed and smiled more as she looked at him.

"Of course I've been here before. It's my favorite bakery. Whenever I come to Domino, I always have to visit this place. It doesn't matter if it's business, dueling, or a random trip with friends or family; they all know they'll get dragged here at some point or other. It's got amazing coffee and I am rather fond of their scones. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that the Kaiba brothers like this place as well, though. Better quality means higher prices, and higher prices mean fewer undesirable customers. I'm also sure that the fact there is fewer customers makes this even more appealing to your brother."

Mokuba couldn't help but laugh at how well she had guessed his brother's personality. For someone who had only just met him recently, and begun working for him only today, she seemed to know him pretty well. Seto really didn't like large crowds of people, unless it was for something to improve the company's image. His private life, the little that wasn't absorbed by his company, was completely unknown to outsiders. Still, Mokuba couldn't help but think Yumi might be someone who would be good for his big brother. Who knew, maybe she would be able to get through to the real Seto, the one who smiled and called him Mokie.

Yumi sighed as they stopped in front of Kaiba Corp. She knew her first day hadn't even officially begun yet, and they were already going for each other's jugulars. She decided she would have to rein in her pride if she wanted to make it through the day, let alone the rest of the week. She followed the Kaiba brother out and watched as they walked in together.

Kaiba's stride was confident, strong, brisk—everything that a cold, no-nonsense man like him should exude. Mokuba's stride was quick, but his steps were nowhere near as confident; he was just trying to keep pace with his brother. She smiled. If everyone though Tsuki and her were opposites, they had truly never met the Kaiba brothers. Mokuba was sweet, fun-loving, and very warm. He was everything his brother clearly refused to show. In some strange way, though, the two completed each other, much in the way Tsuki completed her. She stopped, stunned by the sudden revelation.

She hadn't expected to have such a thing in common with the elder Kaiba. There had been things she had expected; her friends and coworkers mentioned them countless times. She remembered with a grimace how often they enjoyed saying she and Kaiba would get along very well if they ever had the chance to meet one another. After all, they were both young, avid technological and gaming visionaries, and they had remarkable skills in the business world. They were both no-nonsense, direct people, and they were incredibly devoted to their work. She wondered what they would think if they could see the two of them now.

Kaiba looked back at her when he heard her chuckle. He could see her thoughts were clearly elsewhere, and he wondered just what could possibly be so amusing. He waited until the two of them were alone in the elevator to make his comment, though. "And just what is so funny? You've been off in your own strange world for more than five minutes now. If this is what you're going to do on the job, I may have to reconsider our agreement."

She looked at him and smirked a little. She knew she had only recently come to the decision to be kinder and hold off on the sarcasm she enjoyed so much, but this opportunity was far too perfect to waste. She couldn't resist. "I was just thinking about how much you and I have in common," she said. The responding look on his face was priceless; she had caught him off guard. "We have more in common than I originally thought. I find the concept highly amusing, in all honesty, especially given your reputation of being a walking iceberg."

Kaiba glared at her. The way she continued to grate his nerves only served to make him consider crueler, baser tasks to further aggravate her and intensify her torment. That's when a thought struck him. "You, have things in common with me? Who would put such ideas in your head? You're just my personal assistant, while I'm the owner of a multi-billion dollar corporation, and I think I know just the thing to put you in your place, Makoto."

Mokuba looked back and forth between the two, unsure whether he should be amused or terrified at the way things were progressing. This was the first time he had met someone who talked to his brother in such a manner. He had also never seen Seto react this way to someone before, not even Yugi and his friends. Before, if someone annoyed him even slightly, his job was gone for good, yet here she was, mocking him to his face, and she was still here. He tugged on his brother's jacket sleeve. Kaiba looked at him for a moment before looking away. "Later, Mokuba." Mokuba grinned, knowing his brother really would tell him what he wanted to know. After all, they were brothers.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**DaAmazingMeepers:** I'm so glad you liked the sarcasm battle. It's what I live for. I hope you liked this one too!

**Azura Soul Reaver**: I'm glad you think so! It's just a shame Kaiba doesn't know it yet. ;)


	33. Obfuscating Office

**Author's Info:** Chapter 33! Well, I have to admit things are getting to where I can really get into developing well-known characters as well as starting to introduce my favorites! I'm starting research on yet another deck (this will be my third deck). Things are about to get crazy in life, with papers and finals, so please be patient for the next few weeks. Thank you to everyone who read this, especially **TsuKaza**, **Azura Soul Reaver**, **Toxic-Tears-123**, **Jade the Grey**, **DaAmazingMeepers**, and **Backlash Button**. More specific comments later!

**The "what"s:** Listening to _Down_ by Jay Sean, _In My Head_ by Jason Derulo, and _Whataya Want From Me_ by Adam Lambert. Not exactly my usual taste in music, but they're so damn catchy, I can't help it! Probably doesn't help I hear it all over... I've been thinking about too many things to retell. Right now, it's about how annoying some of these songs they play on the radio are... (like Miley Cyrus' _Party in the USA_... I despise that song with a burning passion.) I've also been thinking about how my friends seem to like using me as their editor... as if we all haven't had nightmares about red pens from our honors English teacher in high school... Well, at least I learned proper grammar overall, right?

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I cannot claim the awesomeness that is Seto Kaiba or Yugi Mutou. I _can_ claim Yumi and Tsuki's awesome personalities, though. I hope you enjoy yet another chapter of _Sando No Jigoku_!

_Chapter Thirty-Three_

Yumi followed them into what she knew had to be Kaiba's office. She hadn't seen or heard anyone else since stepping out of the elevator, which meant there couldn't be anyone else on the floor. That was what had convinced her she was right. His office was spacious and modern, as she had expected. There was a large TV and a comfortable leather couch nearby. She looked around thoughtfully and wondered if this truly reflected Kaiba's personality in all matters, but then she remembered his taste in clothing and nearly began laughing aloud again. Kaiba was a man who _loved_ flaunting his wealth in front of others, and she doubted that was a habit that would ever change.

"You will be sorting my appointments for the next few weeks. I'll let you determine how to structure it, since you're expected to begin memorizing my schedule as of next week. I'm a very busy man, and I don't have time for mistakes," Kaiba said as he went and sat down at his desk. He had a lot of work to do, and he didn't have time to teach a complete novice. That was one benefit to having someone like her, he supposed. She already had experience.

"Yes, master," she said, adding a lisp and making a face silly enough to rival Igor. She couldn't help but grin when she noticed Mokuba start laughing, and her grin didn't subside even when Kaiba glared at her again.

'You do realize you failed to notify me as to which day you will be taking off this week, right?"

"I'll be coming in all week," she said, shrugging nonchalantly. "It is my first week on the job, after all; I figure I may as well stick it out. There's no point in taking a day off when I don't completely know what I'm doing yet."

Kaiba was shocked by her answer. He hadn't expected her to be willing to coming every day of the week. He had expected her to fully enjoy inconveniencing him by taking a day off during her first week. This put him at ease. It gave him that much more time to teach her what he needed to at times that were more convenient to him. He would also use this time to delve deeper into her mind and get under her skin.

"Wow, you're really serious about this job, aren't you, Yumi?" Mokuba said, grinning. He didn't know anyone who was willing to spend every day working except his brother. Most people liked to enjoy their weekends elsewhere, but she was willing to give them up for the sake of her job!

"I have to be if I want to do well," she said, smiling a little. "Besides, if it means being around all the new gaming technology even a little bit longer, I would be so happy!"

"You really like games, don't you?" Mokuba asked, grinning more. Even if she _had_ beaten his brother, she seemed like a really nice person. He didn't understand why Seto didn't seem to like her, or why he was so mean to her. Besides, she had already become friends with Yugi, didn't she? That definitely meant she was a good person.

"I think like is a drastic understatement in all honesty," she said, laughing. "There aren't many games I've played that I haven't been fond of. That's why I've always wanted to work at Kaiba Corp. Gaming systems, theme parks, if it has to do with gaming, I can't help but be excited. Then again, you already know all that goes on here, and why it's such a successful company, so I suppose I'm just babbling, aren't I?" she asked, laughing at herself, and flushing a slight pink.

Kaiba was surprised by the childish excitement she was suddenly showing. This was a completely different side to the person who managed to annoy him so effectively. Whenever he spoke with her, she was reserved, sarcastic, and arrogant, yet when she spoke to Mokuba she was full of energy, cheerful, and gentle. He wondered if it had to do with Mokuba's childish innocence and excitement, or if she was simply bipolar. He cleared his throat and noticed she immediately lost that childish attitude and became professional. "If you're done acting like small children, I'll show you where you'll be working."

"You needn't worry," she said, smiling mockingly. "I'm not so blind that I couldn't see the desk outside your office. If the appointments are already in the computer, then I'll be able to get everything done quickly. If not, just tell me where to find what I'm looking for and I'll get started right away." She made her way over to the door before looking back and smirking. "After all, aren't _you_ the one always saying you have better things to do than waste your time on people who don't know what they're doing?"

Kaiba scowled. "None of these appointments are in the computer. I don't have time for such trivial things, but you'll find the files are all on your desk. I trust you can have it done by the end of the day?" he sneered.

"That won't be a problem," she said confidently. After all, even Kaiba's constantly occupied schedule wouldn't be that difficult, so long as she worked diligently. She knew her skills, and she knew this was far from impossible.

"And I want the hard copies filed away in case I have need of referencing these clients. My previous assistant was entirely incompetent."

"Kaiba, hire an incompetent assistant? Why that must be wrong," she said mockingly. "Even so, I'll get that done as well. It won't be an issue."

"I'll be in a meeting all evening, so it will also be your job to take Mokuba home."

"Wait—" she began, but stopped herself. Insulted as she was, she didn't feel like upsetting Mokuba. Since when had she signed up to become his babysitter, though? She was a tech expert, not a nanny! In truth, she hadn't dealt with children in a long time; Tsuki was the one who had worked at a daycare.

"That is all," Kaiba said, ending the discussion. She scowled and threw him one final dirty look before leaving the room. Much as she would love to debate the issue, she knew better.

"Who does he think he is, pushing his brother on me like that," she growled angrily. "I came here to spend my time developing the software and holographic imaging, not running around getting coffee and babysitting elementary schoolers. He's going to regret this; I'll make sure of it." She made her way to the desk and studied it. It was simple, but durable, and the dark wood made her think of the one in her room. She sighed. Tonight she would be lucky if she got any work done on her game at all. Not only was the stack of appointments immense, but it would likely take her until Mokuba was ready to leave. Once she took Mokuba home, she had no idea what to do; she didn't even know if she would be allowed to go home or had to stay and wait with him. Even if she _did_ manage to get home at an even remotely decent hour, there was the game room to think about. It seemed life was having quite the sense of humor with her lately, and she wasn't sure she liked it.

She began to look through the appointments for even the slightest bit of organization. There was none. Her face darkened with her frustration as she realized exactly what she was in for. Growling, she began to sort them, readying them for when she had to enter them into the computer. A filing system of any sort would have to wait. She figured at the very least she should be able to synchronize this with Kaiba's computer eventually. That way he could also see when his appointments were. For the computer, she wouldn't need terribly detailed information, just a general who and when, perhaps a general reason for the meeting for reference. That would be more than enough for its intended purpose.

***

She groaned when she stood for a break, stretching to relieve her sore muscles. She finally had entered all of them into the computer, and now she just had to see if she could convince Kaiba to agree with synchronizing their systems, at least when it came to appointments. She walked up to his door and knocked.

"What is it?" she heard him ask gruffly. She opened the door and walked inside. "What do you want, Makoto? Don't you have a job to do?" She scowled at his insinuation of incompetence. She figured if he was going to insult her, she may as well use it to her benefit.

"For your information, _Kaiba_," she said coldly, "I actually had something job related to discuss with you. If, however, you don't consider your schedule of appointments to be important enough, then I won't even bother. Good day." She turned and was about to leave when she felt him grab her arm. She scowled; this guy was quick.

"What about my appointments?" he asked, frowning. He didn't like the way she was dangling this and teasing him, but he didn't have a choice. He figured whatever she was about to say was of at least _some_ importance, or she wouldn't bother with him. He especially needed to know if there was some sort of issue that may cause him problems later; he couldn't risk it simply because she was insulting him.

"I figured out a way I would be able to synch our computers so you could have access to a schedule containing all your appointments. Knowing you, you'll probably have times where it would be more convenient if you could access the schedule yourself instead of always having to ask me. Mind you, the system isn't the complete set of data; it only contains the data absolutely necessary for the meeting at hand. If you are in need of more detailed information, you'll have to contact me. I haven't entirely decided if I want that data to be in an electronic format yet, since I don't want to compromise any crucial information. I'd like to see for myself how secure my computer, and Kaiba Corp.'s overall server, really is."

"Are you insinuating my security is weak?" Kaiba asked, growling. He was thoroughly insulted at this. "I highly doubt that you have _anywhere_ near the amount of skills it would take to crack _my_ system."

"You're on," she said, smirking. Kaiba stared at her. "I'm not exactly proud of the fact I can hack into computer systems, but I've had need of it a time or two. I mostly only test my skills on Kuro's security systems. Consider it a friendly rivalry." She smiled a little at the memories.

"I highly doubt being able to hack some kid's computer can even come _close_ to the type of security my company has."

"Alright, we'll have a wager, then," she said, confident of her skills. "I have 24 hours to hack into your system. I'm not allowed to use any sort of company technology, either. I'm only allowed to use my own personal computers."

"How will that prove anything?" he asked. "Besides, even if you _somehow_ managed, how would you prove it?"

"Don't worry; you'll know right away that it was me," she said, smirking. "I'll leave my trademark signal. Oh, when I win, I'd appreciate it if you should me a little more respect." She had become more serious, but Kaiba could resist laughing at the ludicrous nature of her words.

"And when I win, you'll address me as 'Master Kaiba,' and there will be no more of this mockery from you."

"Very well, Kaiba," she said with a smirk. "It seems we have an accord. Now, regarding that schedule—"

"Synch the computers," he said gruffly, going back to his desk. "Although I figured you'd be completely finished by now with the way you were boasting earlier."

"Excuse me for actually being _competent_ with my work," she growled, turning to leave. "Next time I won't care about the quality." She walked out the door and returned to her desk, sighing as she looked at the stack once again. She was unusually tempted to scatters them, just to spite the man sitting in his office mere yards away. Still, she knew that would only result in more of a headache for her when she would have to gather them all again. She instead began to rearrange them in a system that was most efficient for future reference.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**TsuKaza:** Thank you so much for the site for the cards! I'm really grateful for your help! I hope this chapter is as amusing as the last!

**Azura Soul Reaver:** Well, it is Kaiba... What do you do, right? XD Hope you liked this one!

**Jade the Grey:** Thank you _so much_ for helping me with the spell/trap cards and analyzing strategy! I will definitely be sure to give you credit when the Tsuki/Tea comes up! I hope this one amuses you, and I really enjoy the discussion we have going :D

**DaAmazingMeepers:** I admit, after writing that, I did too! Guess I should write chapters while hungry and in need of a good cup of coffee, huh? XD

**Toxic-Tears-123:** I hope you enjoy this new chapter!

**Backlash Button:** Well, all I can say is that this sarcasm battle is probably going to be a battle that continues for some time. After all, two people as stubborn and unwilling to lose as them won't give up easily. Even so, I suppose I have to disagree with you about girls using words and guys fists... Not only have I had more physical damage given to me by some of my female friends (karate and TKD black belts, anyone?), but I have had some of my best debates and sarcasm matches with my guy friends (one of whom is the ONLY person to have beaten me thus far in a fair match). That is my just my experience, though... Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	34. Babbling Babysitter

**Author's Info:** Awesome news, everyone! _Sando No Jigoku_ now has over 100 reviews and almost 6000 views!!! Needless to say, as a writer this is a wonderful feeling for me. I have to admit, I rather like this chapter just because it's a change of pace. Thank you so much everyone for making this dark week that much brighter for me. Just hope/pray/whatever it is you do for me next week! Hopefully I will retain my sanity through next Friday, because then it means three things: home, family, and _**VIDEO GAMES**_. To put this in perspective: in the past, I always de-stressed during finals week by playing video games. My consoles are all at home, hundreds of miles away, and ROMs are not the same as smashing buttons on a controller. Now that I've had my rant, I want to thank all of you who read this, especially **Hikari no Hoshi**, **Azura Soul Reaver**, **TsuKaza**, **Jade the Grey**, **Toxic-Tears-123**, **Backlash Button**, and **Rikicelesius**. More after the chapter!

**The "what"s:** Listening to Emilie Autumn, t.A.T.u., and the Yu-Gi-Oh movie soundtrack. I've been thinking only of the things I ranted about above, namely college finals, going home, and video games. I'm also thinking about my friends, who are amazing, and how I'm going to miss them over the summer, even as I'm excited to see my other friends. You college people know how it is. Pray I retain my short-term memory!!!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but this does deserve a special note. To those of you who say I keep my characters in character, thank you!!! That is what I hope to maintain as much as possible. I have more comments for you later, so look there for more. Now, on to the chapter!!

_Chapter Thirty-Four_

Just as she was finally finishing, she noticed Kaiba leaving his office, no doubt for his meeting. His eyebrow rose as he looked at her, but he said nothing. Her eye twitched in irritation. He smirked as he went into the elevator, knowing he had won that silent exchange. She was foolish to think she could win against him, yet he found it amusing she still continued to try.

Truly, he didn't really know why he put up with her. If it had been any of his other employees challenging him, they would have been fired immediately. Perhaps it was the fact she posed an interesting challenge. Even if she couldn't defeat him, he was still being entertained. It was always amusing, putting down those who believed they were superior to him. They always lost in the end. After, he was Seto Kaiba, and he always got what he wanted.

She sighed and leaned back in her chair after he disappeared. This man was a constant irritation. He absolutely refused to believe anyone could _possibly_ come close to him in skill and ability, not even the people who had defeated him, such as her or Yugi. The man really needed to be brought back to the reality that was the world, she thought as she pulled out her laptop. She thought now would be a good time to begin her plans of revenge.

Even with her desire to teach Kaiba humility, she found herself growing distracted. While she had been entering the appointments for Kaiba, she noticed Shinogame Electronics was having a meeting with Kaiba this Sunday. If that was true, it meant Shinogame's words were coming true sooner than she had anticipated. It also meant the possibility of seeing Kuro again. She wasn't sure if she should feel ecstatic or dreadful.

Much as she enjoyed spending time with Kuro, she knew their time now would be severely limited. He would no doubt be sitting in on the meetings while _she_ would be stuck taking phone calls for her obnoxious boss. That meant Kuro would see exactly what she had been reduced to, and the last thing she needed was the further damage to her pride when Kuro believed she had only taken this job so she could get close to Kaiba. Kuro was known for not always going for the most likely or logical conclusion, and this was one thing she did not want to fight about with him.

She still missed the time she had spent with her friend, and she knew he would be excited to see the latest developments with her game. She hadn't been able to see him often since she had received the news they would be moving, and she still felt incredibly guilty about it. She knew he would not accept her excuse of a new job very gracefully. It had been one thing when she had worked for his father, but Kaiba was a completely different person. He would not accept such nonsense; she would have to stay focused on her work.

She stopped typing in the code she had mindlessly begun entering when she heard someone approaching. She looked up to see Mokuba, who was watching her sheepishly. She smiled reassuringly and said, "I'm guessing you're probably ready to get out of this boring place now that your brother's in a meeting, aren't you?" She closed her laptop and stood. "Why don't you get your things, and I'll call for your driver."

"Are you sure you don't have any more work you want to do in the office?" he asked shyly. She laughed a little. She had to admit he was a very sweet, considerate boy. He truly was quite different from his brother.

"Mokuba, if Kaiba had given me more work, I don't think anyone would be going home tonight," she admitted. "That being said, I'm not entirely sure what you brother wants me to. I don't know if he merely wants me to ensure you reach the mansion safely, or if he wants me to stay with you until he returns. In light of this, I've decided to leave the choice entirely to you."

"You don't mind staying?" Mokuba asked incredulously.

"Of course not," she said, smiling. "I know what it's like to be at home all alone most of the time. It's nice every once in a while, but after some time you begin to wish your family would care enough to come home every once in a while." Her expression became slightly more serious. "I'll be honest with you now, though, Mokuba. I can't stay every night that Kaiba decides to stay late in the office. Given his personality, I'd say it happens a bit too often. If I stay every time, it means I won't get to spend time with my own family, and that would mean breaking my promise to them. Much as I'm sure I'll enjoy your company, it doesn't make up for a broken promise to my own loved ones."

"Don't worry about it, Yumi! I understand completely," Mokuba said, grinning happily. He was glad she had decided to stay with him and keep him company. Still, he had to wonder if she was like some of those other secretaries who had initially agreed to stay with him only because they thought it would mean they could get close to his brother. They had entirely ignored him and only stayed to flirt with his brother when he got home. After a while, though, they gave up entirely. The others hadn't even bothered to stay with him. Every single one of them ended up rejected and fired. The last thing they needed was another one of _those_ secretaries.

"Let's get going then," she said, picking up the phone and dialing one of the numbers Kaiba had given her. When she was assured their ride would be waiting for them, she hung up and turned to see Mokuba grinning. "Alright, time to blow this popsicle stand," she said.

Mokuba started laughing. "That's a really weird saying, Yumi," he said. She chuckled.

"I suppose it is a rather strange one," she admitted. "A friend of mine from America says it every now and then. I thought it was pretty creative, so I started saying it. It's become a habit, I guess."

"Do you have a lot of friends from America?" Mokuba asked, looking at her excitedly. "Can you speak English?" She couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm.

"I have a few friends from America. I met most of them on my trips to Egypt. Actually, I meet friends from all over the world whenever I travel to Egypt. Thanks to them, I can speak English, French, and German. Japanese, as you can tell, is one of my mother languages."

"What do you mean 'one of'?" Mokuba asked, looking over at her.

"Well, my sister and I don't usually say this, but we grew up also knowing ancient Egyptian. We're not entirely sure how we learned it, since our parents aren't exactly fluent in it, but we've been speaking it as long as we've been speaking Japanese."

"Why don't you tell many people?" Mokuba asked, frowning. "I think it's pretty cool, and I'm pretty sure other people would think so too."

"People like you probably would. People like your brother, on the other hand, aren't quite so keen about the idea. The only place it has been of much use has been the excavations, and Kaiba wasn't entirely thrilled when I told him I would need a month off for the excavation this year. Business people tend to prefer skills that pertain to the job at hand," she said as they got into the limo.

"But couldn't that help with my brother's company? After all, aren't they saying Duel Monsters is based off some ancient Egyptian game?"

"That's what I believe, but that is only my opinion. My work is actually focused on finding the connections between these ancient games and today's Duel Monsters, so I admit I am probably biased. People like your brother, however, don't necessarily care about the historical context of the game. They're perfectly content to remain ignorant of the game's past and instead focus on the present. In some ways, I envy them, but that is beside the point. Now, did you still have homework you needed to finish, or was there something else you wanted to do?" She smiled when she saw Mokuba grin.

Mokuba stepped out of the limo and led Yumi inside. He saw the way she was looking around curiously. It was as if she was trying to analyze them. "Seto designed all of this himself. He put a lot of work into it. The inside is even more amazing, though! Come on!" He grabbed her arm and began pulling her inside.

She saw one of Kaiba's servants standing at the door. He smiled and bowed when he saw Mokuba. "Welcome home, young master, and welcome miss," he said as he opened the door for them. She thanked the man and followed Mokuba inside.

"Kaiba is certainly an interesting decorator," Yumi said as she looked around. "I don't know of many who can fit the classic elements of an elegant mansion with a thoroughly contemporary style, but he has done a very good job combining these elements." She allowed herself to be pulled along by Mokuba and smiled as they went through the foyer and up a flight of stairs.

"My big brother is pretty amazing, isn't he?" Mokuba said, clearly proud of his brother's accomplishments. She couldn't help but smile. He reminded her of Tsuki when they were younger, back when she had been dueling in public circuits. It made her wish she could understand the brothers better. Maybe then she could better understand what they knew that she couldn't see, especially in the elder Kaiba.

"To be honest, Mokuba, I really don't know enough about your brother to say anything in one way or another. You'll have to give me time to get to know him through my own experiences before I can honestly answer your question. I prefer to not base my judgments on what other people say to me, especially when I don't know the person myself. I've done that far more often that I would like of late, and I think it's time I reminded myself how foolish that practice is."

"You mean you're not working for my brother because of his reputation?" Mokuba asked, surprised. She was definitely different from the other secretaries. He was rather confused when she started laughing, though. "What's so funny?"

"I wouldn't have been so adamant for a job here if he _didn't_ have a reputation," she admitted. "I merely meant that I've based my decision to work here on his reputation as a businessman and a pioneer in the gaming industry, and on his ability to turn Kaiba Corp. into the number one gaming company. I did _not_ base my decision, however, on Kaiba's status as 'most eligible bachelor' or the fact that he's a wealthy, young , supposedly handsome CEO. I'm not looking for anything from your brother that goes beyond the gaming business realm."

Mokuba could see she was entirely serious. It made him happy, finding someone who wanted to get to know Seto without wanting something from him personally. Who knew, maybe she would be able to get through to his brother and bring out the old Seto, the one that smiled and called him Mokie, the one Gozaburo had squashed.

"So, Mokuba, do you need any help with homework?" she asked. He nodded, thinking of the latest assignment he'd been given and grimacing. She smiled. "Why don't you show me what you're doing and I'll see what I can do to help you/" She followed him to his room, where they would be spending their time working and joking until his brother came back.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**Azura Soul Reaver:** Not much of Kaiba in this one, but I hope you liked Mokuba!

**TsuKaza:** I loved the Miley Cyrus story. I can honestly say my friends LOVE torturing me with her music. I hope you liked seeing Mokuba and Yumi talk, since I didn't give you the results of their wager. Forgive a poor college student? There will be more Kaiba-Yumi action next chapter, I promise!

**Jade the Grey:** 34 and still going strong! That's what makes this interesting, I guess! Hope you like the chapter!

**Toxic-Tears-123:** I am so glad you enjoy the story so far, and I cannot begin to describe how happy I am you guys think the characters are staying in character. I hope the others are in character too!

**Backlash Button:** I am honored you think my work deserves praising, especially considering this is a fan fiction. As for Yumi, I don't think she minds hanging out with Mokuba, but when your job has always been dealing with technology it doesn't make sense to make you babysit a job when there are numbers to crunch and programs to debug. It's more a question what her role in Kaiba Corp. should be. As for karate and TKD belts, even if they don't count, I have female friends who are stronger than some of my guy friends, and I'd honestly rather get punched by my guy friends than my gal ones. (The opposite is true when it comes to sarcasm battles... I can win against the girls... XD).

**Rikicelesius:** I am glad you have enjoyed my story thus far. I hope it continues to interest you, and that the promise does not prove disappointing. I am also incredibly honored about your opinion of me and Yu-Gi-Oh. That is a major compliment for me, and I cannot thank you enough.


	35. Riddling Rides

**Author's Info:** Again, sorry for the long delay! A lot of things have been distracting me from writing, I admit (namely the FIFA World Cup, World of Warcrack, and family/friends). I am now getting back into writing though, so hopefully you enjoy the especially long chapter! I especially want to thank **TsuKaza**, **Jade the Grey**,** Emily**, **Celesius**, **Toxic-Tears-123**, **yamiyugi4eva**, **Ava-Connie**, **Foscarrelli**, **rather-jovial**,** DaAmazingMeepers**,** xXchibitsukiXx**, **Sesshylover978**, and **DreamerNumber3**. Comments after as usual!

**The "what"s:** Listening to Yu-Gi-Oh music still, and thinking about how I'm possibly going to write my second duel. I admit I am a little stuck, but I am working on it! I'm also thinking incessantly about the next match Germany plays in the FIFA World Cup! Deutschland!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or any of the characters. All I own are my OCs, and the current plot is my idea. Hope you enjoy!

_Chapter Thirty-Five_

Kaiba entered the mansion after a long day at work feeling more than slightly frustrated. The meeting had turned out to be waste of his time; they were just a bunch of fools who had thought they could use Kaiba Corp. to further their own pathetic ends. "Mokuba?" he called out. He frowned when he didn't hear his brother coming; normally he could hear him practically running to greet him. Suddenly he noticed noises coming from the media room.

"Aww man! You won again!" he heard Mokuba whine. He heard unfamiliar laughter in response and frowned more, wondering who was in his home. He went and opened the door, eyes widening when he noticed Yumi sitting on the floor next to the couch, controller in hand and a childishly teasing grin on her face. Mokuba was sitting on the couch and pouting, the controller sitting next to him on the couch.

"Sorry Mokuba," she said playfully once her laughter subsided, "but you _did_ say you were really good at this game. I figured holding back on you would be an insult. Besides, this happens to be one of my favorite racing games."

"I didn't even know there were girls that had even _heard_ of this game, much less played it," Mokuba grumbled. "How did you start playing this game?"

"My friends in Tokyo _love_ video games," she said, smiling a little. "We spent a lot of time in the arcades as a result. I like to play different types of games; it keeps me from getting bored. The only types of games I'm not fond of are shooters and sports games, although I have quite the soft spot for dancing games, as well as RPGs and fighters."

"Did you duel?" Mokuba asked. Kaiba listened with interest. Perhaps he could use this knowledge to help him figure out her strategies.

"Not with those friends," she admitted, "but I have a bunch of friends I duel with from time to time. Sometimes my friends that I met in Egypt fly out for a friendly little game, or they'd bring another friend of theirs who wanted to duel me. We usually just play on the mats, though. Nothing really fancy. There were a few times we came out to Kaiba Land for a duel, though. I have to admit, those were probably some of my favorite duels."

"Why do we have no knowledge of this?" Kaiba asked, revealing himself. He smirked when he saw her start and became even more amused when she glared at him and frowned.

She became serious as she said, "My friends always had connections. They were the ones who asked for an arena, so I never had to use my name or information. All you have to do is cross-reference my cards, though, and you'll easily be able to see some of my past duels. That's of no importance at the moment, though."

"And why is that?" Kaiba asked, eyebrow quirking once again. "Is there something that's more important you have to do suddenly?"

"Actually, there is," she said, "although I wouldn't call it sudden. I really must return home now. My family is no doubt expecting me, and I still have my own homework and phone calls to complete before I can get any form of sleep." She stood and looked over at Mokuba. "Sorry to have to cut it short, Mokuba. Maybe we can play more next time."

"Okay!" Mokuba said, grinning at the thought. Next time he would be ready for her. He was going to make sure to challenge her at something he would be sure to win. "See you tomorrow Yumi, and thanks for playing with me!" He watched her wave goodbye and noticed Seto look at him questioningly before turning to follow her.

"And how exactly were you planning on getting home? I know you sold the car you had in Tokyo," Kaiba said, frowning as he followed her.

"I was actually planning on walking. I'm not really worried about being robbed; I don't have any money on me, nor do I have my credit cards. Besides, my phone and laptop are completely useless to them. Even a complete idiot can see my things have heavy security systems."

"I'm not having my employee walk home," he said, scowling. He knew it would look bad for him if word got out his employee was walking back from his mansion, especially if something happened to her. He knew what sort of scum enjoyed lurking around the area at night. Not all of them were after money, either, and, judging by the reactions of their peers, she was supposedly attractive. The last thing he needed was for her to get into trouble. "I'll drive you."

"You really don't have to do that," she said, taken aback. "If you're that concerned, I can just take a taxi."

"You have no money. You said so yourself."

"I'll pay him as soon as I get home, then. I'll even leave the door open to prove I'm not trying to get out of paying him," she said seriously.

"Are you really _that_ desperate to be out of my company?" he asked. "If so, why did you stay until I came back from Kaiba Corp.?"

"I didn't want to leave Mokuba alone," she answered honestly. When he eyes narrowed in suspicion, she sighed. "I guess you've heard that a number of times from secretaries who wanted to use Mokuba, so I won't ask you to believe me. I'll let my actions speak for themselves." She turned and began walking to the door.

"And where do you think you're going?" he asked, moving to block her path. She scowled when she was forced to stop, making him smirk. He was going to get answers from her. He was tired of people using his little brother to further their own ends. He growled as he remembered Pegasus and his attempts to use Mokuba to take control of Kaiba Corp.

"I'm going outside to wait for a taxi, what else?" she said angrily. "Look, I told you already, I don't want to use your brother to get to you. That's not fair to you, and it's certainly not fair to Mokuba. You asked me to take Mokuba home, but you never specified whether you wanted me to stay or not. I didn't know what to do, so I left the choice to Mokuba. I told him I would leave when you returned home because I needed to get home. If you don't believe me, ask Mokuba."

Kaiba growled at her condescending tone. He approached her and smirked as he noticed she was backing away. He placed his hands on either side of her the moment her back hit the wall. "Who do you think you are that you can speak to me that way? I could fire you right now, even put you in jail if I wanted."

"Go ahead then," she challenged. "Use all the power at your disposal. That doesn't mean you've beaten me. It only means you rush to conclusions before you know all the facts." Her eyes bored into his with an intensity he hadn't seen from anyone else. He released her and strode away angrily, unable to keep his composure at the fire in her eyes.

"Are you coming or not?" he asked without turning around, even though he had stopped. She frowned in confusion, unsure of what he meant. When she realized he was still offering her a ride, even after everything she'd said to him, she sighed, wondering at his stubbornness. She decided she may as well follow him, going through the door leading to his garage and seeing him get into a Mercedes. She couldn't help but eye the car enviously. It was quite the car.

Kaiba saw the way she looked at his car and smirked. Of course he owned top of the line cars. Why waste his money on anything less than the best? Clearly even she could appreciate that. He smirked even more when she admired the interior after getting in. "I didn't think you would be interested in cars, Makoto."

"I wasn't for a rather long time," she admitted. "Up until a few years ago, I never saw a point in having a car like this, nor did I really know one make or model from another. Sure, my guy friends admired them, but not me."

"Why the change of mind?" he asked smugly. Finally, he re was something in which she was normal.

"A guy I met in Egypt and I began talking. He was the son of one of the archeologists my father is very close friends with. He wasn't particularly obsessed or anything, but some of the cars he told me about I liked too. I figured I should at least start paying attention from then on."

"You liked him," Kaiba said, smirking more as he sensed something he could use to his advantage.

"I did," she agreed readily, making Kaiba look at her in surprise before turning his attention to starting the car. "That was some time ago, though. My tastes have improved drastically since then. Take this Mercedes, for example. Much as I like this car, or even a Lamborghini, my dream car is actually an Audi S5. Powerful, yet sophisticated, and it doesn't entirely break the bank, either."

Kaiba glanced over at her. He had to admit an Audi showed good taste. Even so, he was still doubtful of her intentions, especially given the double meaning of her statement. There were many who only said such things because they thought he would favor them, but he wasn't readily deceived. Besides, he still had to break her will and admit his superiority. He frowned when he heard her groan.

"If you keep this up, Kaiba, I will gladly reconsider the job," she threatened. "The _only_ reason I'm your assistant is because it's the _only_ job you were willing to offer me. If you really didn't want me interacting with Mokuba, then say so. If not, can we please drop the subject?"

He frowned more, wondering why she was being so uptight about the subject. It wasn't as though it was personal on her part anyway. He had his brother to protect, on the other hand, which meant it was incredibly personal to him.

"Kaiba, there is something I want to know," she admitted after a moment's silence. He glanced over to affirm he was listening before turning his attention back to the road. "I know Shinogame is coming on Sunday for a meeting. I was just wondering if—"

"If you would be allowed to attend the meeting?" he asked, smirking. She flushed slightly in embarrassment. "Why would I have my personal assistant going into meetings with me, Makoto?"

"Because this particular personal assistant can get you an even better deal with Shinogame Electronics," she said seriously. Kaiba scoffed. He highly doubted her ability to get better parts from Makoto Shinogame. Even if she could, it wouldn't require her being a part of his meetings. She was just bluffing in hopes he would buy her story and give her a little more power.

Yumi sighed and looked out the window. The truth was she knew better than to mention Shinogame's latest product at this time, but she was growing impatient at the thought of testig it with Kaiba's holographic technology. It was _her_ project after all, hers and Kuro's. She knew Kuro would never give Kaiba the technology if he heard what her real job was at Kaiba Corp. The last thing she needed was Kuro's outrage getting in the way.

Kaiba stopped in front of her house and waited for her to get out of the car. He frowned when he noticed her hand pause on the handle.

"I just wanted to say thank you for driving me home," she said, "and for picking me up before work. It was very kind of you. I'll find my own way to and from work from now on, so you won't have to worry about it anymore." She opened the car door and put her feet on the ground. "I'll see you in school tomorrow." She stood and walked to the door, waving goodbye before pulling out her keys. She unlocked the door and went inside after watching him drive away.

"Who was _that_?" Tsuki asked as she watched her sister walk in the door. "It's not every day someone drops you off in such an expensive car. Was it Kaiba?"

Yumi sighed. She should have known Tsuki would have noticed. "Yes, that was Kaiba. He took me home after I stayed with Mokuba at the mansion. No doubt it was the closest he'll ever get to saying thank you. Oh, and before you ask, we didn't talk much. He's suspicious about why I stayed with Mokuba, and I'm still trying to understand why I can't sit in on that meeting with Shinogame on Sunday."

"Shinogame is coming?" Tsuki asked, objective forgotten as she stared at her sister. "What about Kuro? Is he coming too?" Yumi's silence made her worried. "You're afraid of how they'll react if they see you as his personal assistant. Do you really think Kuro would shut down the project?"

"We _need_ those parts if we're ever going to take these holograms to a higher level. I don't mind telling him after, when it's just the two of us, but I don't want to make this personal."

"Tsuki, what have I told you about holding up your sister at the door?" Shinji said with an amused expression. "Let her at least go and change." He looked at his elder daughter and smiled at her aggravated expression. "Have you eaten yet, Yumi?"

"No," she admitted, "I hadn't even thought about it. Things were rather busy." Her stomach grumbled. "I guess my growing appetite is going to remedy that soon enough." She laughed. Shinji chuckled.

"There are some leftovers in the fridge. I didn't know if you would be eating here or not. I wasn't sure how much work you had to do."

"Thank you Father," she said, heading off to the kitchen after smiling gratefully. She groaned and rolled her eyes as she heard the two of them begin talking once she was out of the room. Some things would never change, she supposed.

"So, Kaiba drove her home," her father mused. Tsuki grinned knowingly. She knew her father would begin to see things her way soon enough. She knew this was a good sign; it meant the two were at least putting their pride aside long enough to get _something_ accomplished. That was only the first step, though. It would be some time still before either of them would be willing to admit defeat.

"There is one slight problem, though," she admitted. "I don't know that Kuro will take Yumi and Kaiba's 'relationship' very well. He's sure to take Kaiba's challenges personally, despite what Yumi says. Hopefully he doesn't mess things up for her."

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Shinji asserted. "You know Yumi; she'll figure it out. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she gets in that meeting after all."

"You're probably right," Tsuki said, grinning. "She's my sister after all. Kaiba doesn't stand a chance against the Makotos!"

"You know, Tsuki, you never did tell me how your time at the arcade was," her father said, grinning as he watched her flush. He knew she hadn't been expecting him to ask about her day.

"Yes, Tsuki, I'm also _quite_ curious about how _your_ day was," Yumi said, smirking as he entered the room. Tsuki knew she was enjoying the revenge for her hints about her and Kaiba.

"Well, there really isn't a whole lot to talk about. Yugi, Tea, Tristan, Joey, and I went to the arcade. I played some DDR with Tea and then raced with the guys. Mostly, though, I just watched the guys play games. They're pretty obsessed," she admitted.

"Yes, well, they _are_ gamers," Yumi said slyly. "I'm sure Yugi especially is quite the gamer." She was entirely enjoying her sister's distraction, knowing it was related to the day's events. Her day was getting better and better now that she had found herself something to use as ammunition.

"Yeah," Tsuki agreed, only realizing what her sister had implied after. She blushed an even deeper shade of red. "That was a cruel trick, Yumi!"

"This coming from the person who insinuated _I_ would date _Kaiba_," she replied, smirking more. "I'm merely pointing out your reaction toward our mutual friend. What you want to admit about him, or your feelings for him, is your concern. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot to finish before school tomorrow." Yumi waved goodnight as she went to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Tsuki sighed, knowing her sister would seclude herself the rest of the night. She supposed she would have to wait until tomorrow to get any information from her.

**Responses to my commentators:**

**TsuKaza:** Well, this one had a little of bit of everything it seemed. I hope you enjoyed it! Hopefully you'll like what comes next!

**Jade the Grey:** Thanks for the support! Hopefully this was worth all the wait!

**Emily:** Hopefully there was enough Mokuba in there for you!

**Toxic-Tears-123:** Thanks! Let me know if the characters ever go out of character!

**Celesius:** I admit this part is a bit Yumi/Kaiba centric, but that's really because I'm trying to introduce a few characters who really are quite close to the Makoto family. It's best done through Yumi because she is the only one who could bring about a duel Kaiba will actually pay attention to. After the duel, I have plans for Tsuki/Yugi. Stay tuned!

**yamiyugi4eva:** Haha, don't worry! There will be more Kaiba/Yumi action coming up!

**Foscarrelli:** I hope this took into account your advice at least some. I admit this part was already written by then, but I will keep this in mind when writing the next duel. I also hope I wasn't too... verbose this time.

**DaAmazingMeepers:** I'm really hoping the next few chapters, especially the duel, will make her seem less Mary-Sue. As for Tsuki, I think you'll see a different side of her soon enough as well. I hope you can bear it until then, but if not, please let me know.

**xXchibitsukiXx:** I'm glad you like the story! I hope this chapter was up to snuff.


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